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Part III. — Seventh Annual Report 



larval form of Nieolea, though certainty on this point has not yet been 

 reached. Minute post-larval forms of Polynoe were frequent in the 

 bottom-nets, and these pertained to several species. 



It is rare to find minute young Polynoidse between tide-marks where 

 the adults are common, and their abundance in the bottom-nets at a 

 distance from shore explains the reason. They are truly pelagic in their 

 earlier phases. 



Besides the foregoing, minute post-larval forms connected with Aricia, 

 Pholoe, Capitella, and others were also procured. The wealth of 

 aunelidan life was noteworthy. 



Sagittse were less conspicuous this month, but they occasionally 

 occurred in the mid-water net. Yet they were not far removed, as in 

 1887 they were almost in masses in the mid-water net, on board the 

 • Garland,' on the wolf-fish grounds (the Crail ' Hairst ' of the fishermen) 

 to the east of Crail. The masses consisted chiefly of Sagittae, with 

 medusoids, Hyperia medusarum, and Copepods. 



As in the previous month, crustacean life swarmed in the Bay from the 

 surface to the bottom. A decided difference, however, was apparent — 

 during fully the first half of the month — between the bottom and the 

 surface-nets, since the former were far richer in small crustaceans and 

 annelids, while the latter showed them only sparingly. 



In the surface-net Nauplii were found more or less throughout the 

 period, though they were more numerous towards the end of the month. 

 Amongst the Copepods were a few examples of Centropages hamatus, 

 Acartia longiremis, Halitemora longicornis, Oithona spinifrons, and Har- 

 pacticus chelifer. Once only Acartia appeared in large numbers. 

 Evadne Nordmanni was much more plentiful than in June, and in full 

 reproductive activity. The Ostracoda were few, but the Cypris-stages of 

 Cirripedes were more numerous. Other forms were zoeae, young Hyperiae, 

 and exuviae of Cirripedes. 



In the mid-water net, about the beginning of the latter third of the 

 month, large specimens of Calanus jinmarcliicus were procured outside the 

 Bay (near the mouth of the Forth), and also within it, showing that 

 most of the examples previously obtained in the Bay this year had been 

 immature. Caligus ra/pox was also common, many with the parasitic 

 Udonella caligorum. The zoeae were not numerous at this period in the 

 mid-water net, either within or without the Bay. Other forms were 

 Ampelisca Gaimardi (a female with ova), Hyperia medusarum, some 

 with ova, and many free larvae, Paratliemisto abyssorum and exuviae of 

 Cirripedes. Larvae of the Norway lobster were also common. 



In the bottom-net Nauplii were extremely abundant throughout the 

 entire month, and the following Copepods were frequent, viz., Acartia 

 longiremis, Halitemora longicornis, Longipedia coronata, Oithona spiwi- 

 frons, and Oentropages hamatus, some in great numbers. Many Ostracoda 

 were also present, and swarms of Ecaclne Nordmanni, with its brood- 

 pouches in full activity. Besides these, a few zoeae, Hippolyte 

 inch long, and occasionally specimens of Diastylis Rathkii, were likewise 

 captured. 



If the crustacean life was thus abundant in the Bay in July, it certainly 

 was no less plentiful in the proximity, as shown by the various nets 

 during the trawling expeditions in 1884 and on board the ' Garland'* 

 especially in 1887, where the mid-water net had its bag rendered semi- 

 solid by means of Boreophausia Raschii over the rough ground to the east 

 of Crail. The pinkish oil in these and similar crustaceans would 



* Courteously placed at my disposal by the Board* 



