of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



1 1 



and these are all minute forms which are parasitic on small species 

 of Crustacea. 



The occurrence of other rare species belonging to the Amphi- 

 poda, the Isopoda, and the Sympoda, other groups of Crustacea, 

 is also recorded. 



Apart from the zoological interest of these discoveries, it is to 

 be noted that the minute Crustacea with which they deal play an 

 important role in connection with the food of fishes, many forms 

 living upon them almost exclusively at some stage or another of 

 their existence. 



The Parasites of Fishes. 



In continuation of his researches on the forms which are para- 

 sitic on marine fishes, Dr. Thomas Scott also contributes a paper to 

 the present Keport on this subject, illustrated with a series of 

 figures. The parasites described include four Copepods and two 

 Trematode worms. One of the former is new to science, and 

 the other three have not previously been recorded from the 

 Scottish seas. Both the Trematodes are new to science, and were 

 obtained, along with two of the Copepods, on a specimen of the 

 sting ray (Trygon pastinaca) — a fish closely allied to the skates — 

 which was caught in the Moray Firth during the trawling 

 investigations. 



In this paper there is also a description of a figure of a post- 

 larval fish which has been attacked by two small crustaceans, 

 furnishing an example of one of the dangers to which young fishes 

 are exposed. 



The Young of the Conger. 



In the course of the trawling investigations in the Moray 

 Firth, two specimens of the pelagic young of the Conger-eel were 

 taken in the small-meshed net used around the cod-end of the 

 otter trawl. These forms, which are characterised in their younger 

 stages by their singularly flattened form, are known as Leptocephali, 

 and were until comparatively lately believed to represent distinct 

 species of fish. They are very rarely seen in British waters. The 

 two specimens referred to are described and figured in a paper by 

 Dr. T. Wemyss Fulton in the present Eeport, along with other 

 rare fishes obtained during the investigations. Among the others 

 may be mentioned a larval Fierasfer, an extremely rare form which, 

 in the adult condition, lives within Holothurians; it was taken in 

 a tow-net easterly from Aberdeen. A specimen of the pilchard 

 was also secured in the Moray Firth — a fish which is said to have 

 been at one time fairly common at some places in the southern 

 part of the East Coast, but is now hardly ever seen in these waters. 

 Other rare specimens comprised the sting-ray and the thickback 

 sole, both secured in the Moray Firth. It is indeed remarkable 

 that in several respects the fauna of the Moray Firth offers 

 resemblances to that of the West Coast ; it appears to indicate 

 that a connection is established by means of the sea currents 

 entering the Firth from the north. 



