of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



28*7 



A very young Plcuronectid (flounder or dab) also occurred in the 

 surface-not. Its large yolk-sac and general appearance showed that it 

 was little more than a day old. 



The surface tow-net gave a pelagic brill measuring 20 mm., and the 

 hand-net at the margin of the water at the estuary of the Eden captured 

 several semi-pelagic young turbot. 



In contrast with the condition in the Bay, the use of the mid-water 

 not on board the ' Garland,' in the open and deep water south-east of the 

 Isle of May, showed that towards the end of the month many forms which 

 have been associated with the long rough dab occurred ; yet the youngest 

 of these could not have been hatched so early as February and early 

 March, the period when the ripe eggs of the species are common. All 

 swam on edge. In the most advanced the left eye was slightly carried 

 forward, and a little elevated towards the dorsal margin. On the same date 

 (21st July 1887) many forms associated with the 'witch' abounded in 

 the deep water on this ground. In these the eye seems to go much 

 more slowly round than in the common flounder, for in those measuring 

 15*5 mm. in spirit, the left eye was just visible when the body was 

 viewed from the right, and the lish evidently swam on edge, the pigment 

 on both sides being nearly alike. 



The ground-trawl gave the post-larval fishes entered elsewhere 

 (Pleuronectids), but the diminution of those in the mid-water net was 

 pronounced. 



The young of the round food-fishes again had rather to be sought 

 amongst the Pier and Castle rocks, and at the bottom of the water, than 

 in mid-water; indeed, in 1886 and 1887, the younger stages abounded 

 there on the 1st June. Young cod, moreover, are occasionally seen at 

 this time off the rocks 5 to 6 inches long, and they appear to be the 

 young of the previous season. 



In the mid- water net, on the rich fishing ground south-east of the Isle 

 of May, at 30 fathoms, many young whiting (and one young cod) were 

 caught on 21st July 1877, ranging from about 2 to 2| inches, and some 

 in shallower water in the same neighbourhood (off St Abb's). 



Many whiting were obtained similarly next day, along with a young 

 Montagu's sucker. Whiting seem to be remarkably abundant in the 

 offing at a later period (and smaller) than the cod. At a given length, 

 say 7 mm., these supposed young whitings are deeper and apparently 

 older fishes than in the case of the cod. 



In the Bay young whiting, 15 and 19 mm. respectively, were procured 

 in the mid-water net of the 20th July. 



The other fishes obtained in the mid- water net consisted of a consider- 

 able number of young Cotti (sea-scorpions), ranging from 7 to 13 mm. 

 These are easily distinguished from the young food-fishes of the same 

 size, by their shorter snout, smaller mouth and smaller eye, as well as by 

 the deeper greenish pigment, with a trace of yellow on the head and 

 abdomen. Moreover, the latter is much more densely spotted with 

 blackish pigment. From the greater tenacity of life in this species (sea- 

 scorpion), the body does not so soon assume the whitish opacity so 

 characteristic of the gadoids. The specimen, indeed, may be motionless, 

 yet the heart pulsates. 



When about 9 mm. in length in each case, the young gadoid is 

 distinguished by having only embryonic rays in the continuous marginal 

 fin, while Outfits has a considerable number of rudimentary true rays, 

 both dorsally and ventrally. Still greater differences occur in the tail. 

 Thus in the gadoid the elements are more or less equally developed 

 dorsalty and ventrally, and the tapering notochord extends considerably 



