Part III. — Seventeenth Annual Report 



Turbot. The eggs of this form were first found in March, and the 

 numbers steadily increased during the succeeding months, until the 

 maximum was reached in June. They were fewer in July, and still 

 persisted in August. From March to August, then, is the period in which 

 spawning takes place in Loch Fyne. The spawniug period on the East 

 Coast lasts from April to July (Fulton). Masterman gives a period from 

 mid-May to mid-July. Iu Loch Fyne the turbot, then, appears to spawn 

 earlier than on the East Coast. 



Mackerel. The largest number of the eggs of the mackerel was 

 obtained in July, a considerable number having been taken in the 

 preceding month. In April two eggs were captured ; but in May they 

 were uot found in the tow-nets. The eggs of the mackerel have not so far 

 been recorded from Scottish waters. This fish, it is, however, well known, 

 spawns in Loch Fyne in July and August, and individuals with large roes 

 are taken in considerable quantities in herring nets. 



Lemon Sole. The eggs of this species were captured in June, July, 

 and August. From the numbers of eggs obtained during these months 

 spawning seems to take place principally in June and July. On the 

 East Coast, May, June, and July are the months devoted to spawning 

 (Fulton). 



Brill. The eggs of the brill appeared in June and July, but in so 

 small quantity that it is impossible to make any inference regarding the 

 spawning period of this fish. So far these observations agree with those 

 of Fulton in reference to the East Coast, though it spawns also in April 

 and May. 



Dab and Flounder. The eggs of these two forms are very closely 

 associated as regards their distribution and the periods during which 

 they may be captured with the tow-net. In Loch Fyne these eggs 

 appear in March, and are found each month up to August. They are 

 both found in greatest abundance in April, and after May the flounder 

 eggs decrease in number at a greater rate than do the eggs of the dab. 

 In July and August only a few solitary flounder eggs were found. Dab 

 eggs were still present in considerable numbers in July. 



For the flounder the spawning period on the East Coast is from the 

 end of January until July, and for the dab the same period extends from 

 the end of February to July (Fulton). Masterman gives for the flounder 

 a period of from March 6th to June 22d, and for the dab a period from 

 February 19th to August 29th. On the East Coast, then, these two 

 forms appear to spawn earlier than they do in Loch Fyne. 



Bib. A solitary egg of this form was found in February. In March 

 the eggs of the bib were abundant. They continued on till July, 

 diminishing rapidly in number after April. According to M'Intosh and 

 Masterman,* the bib spawns in January and February. The period for 

 Loch Fyne is much longer. Later in beginning, it lasts till July. 



Poor-Cod. This species appears to begin spawning in April and con- 

 tinues doing so until July, the maximum being reached in June, although 

 the number of eggs captured in May does not fall very far short of the 

 June total. M'Intosh and Masterman give for this fish a spawning 

 period of from March to June. In Loch Fyne the spawning period begins 

 one month later, and is continued for a month over the East Coast period. 



Long Hough Dab. During the months of March, April, May, and 

 June the eggs of the long rough dab are to be found in Loch Fyne. In 

 April the largest number of eggs are deposited. Fulton gives for the East 

 Coast from the end of January to the end of April as the spawning period. 

 M'Intosh and Masterman add the month of May to that period. In Loch 

 Fyne spawning begins later and does not cease until June. 



* Op. cit. 



