Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xxvii 



of sea- weeds and Sertidarians. The stones were chiefly lying on Scientific 

 raised portions, while the sand and fine gravel were lying in Investigations, 

 basin-shaped cavities. Living on the bank were a number of 

 cchinoderms, molluscs, coelenterates, worms, and other inver- 

 tebrates ; while shoals of herring, followed by cod, dog-fish, por- 

 poises, and dolphins, often occupied the water covering it. The 

 temperature varied from 42° Fahr. at the surface to 43°5 Fahr. at 

 the bottom. On several occasions herring spawn was dredged Herring eggs 

 from the bank sometimes attached to comparatively small polished °^ ones 

 stones, at other times to large pieces of Zaminaria, or to portions &c. 

 of Scrtidaria, , but the greater part of the spawn was found 

 forming a layer from a quarter to half an inch in thickness 

 over a mixture of sand, fine gravel, and broken shells, which lay 

 in the basin-shaped portions of the bank already referred to. 



Specimens of the spawn attached to the stones, gravel, sea- Eggs taken 

 weeds, and sea-firs have been preserved, and some hundreds of{™ t " l h ^ nk 

 thousands of the eggs taken up in the dredge were afterwards 

 hatched in Eothesay Aquarium. In addition to determining the 

 nature of the spawning ground, Professor Ewart was able to 

 observe the natural process of fertilising and depositing the eggs ; Method of 

 and he further succeeded in hatching a large number o£ eggs, ^ ^studied 

 which were artificially fertilised on board the 'Jackal.' On a 

 subsequent occasion, a more thorough examination of the spawning 

 ground was made by the use of a diving-bell, and at the same time Fry hatched 

 thousands of herring fry were found on the surface, along with ^Siy 1 * 1 " 

 the eggs of the haddock, and an immense number of minute fertilised eggs. 

 Crustacea and other surface forms. For an account of the 

 spawning grounds, and of the natural and artificial fertilisation of 

 herring eggs, see Appendix F, No. IV. It may be mentioned that 

 Professor Ewart has made considerable progress with an account 

 of the structure of the herring; but, to prevent overcrowding, 

 the part ready will not be incorporated in the present Keport. 



The Board, encouraged by the success which had attended the 

 various inquiries it had instituted, took into consideration the 

 propriety of making some experiments with flat fish, such as sole, Board estab- 

 turbot, and flounder.. Eecognising that St Andrews Bay was statlonat^st 

 naturally extremely well adapted for experiments of this kind, and Andrews, 

 learning that Professor M'Intosh, F.R.S., who was engaged making 

 investigations for H.M. Trawling Commission, was willing to do 

 everything in his power to assist the Board in carrying on its 

 scientific work, it was resolved to establish at St Andrews a small 

 marine laboratory. This was all the more possible, as the muni- 

 cipal authorities of St Andrews were willing to place at the service 

 of the Board at a small rent a wooden hospital, situated on the 

 Bents, within a few yards of the sea. To enable the Board to under- 

 take this, you were pleased to obtain the sanction of the Treasury 

 to the application of a small sum (£335) for fittings and other £335 voted for 

 expenses, and although the arrangements are not yet complete, a fittm s s - 

 beginning has been made. Professor M'Intosh has already succeeded 

 in hatching flat-fish from artificially fertilised eggs, and in showing Eggs of flat-fish 

 that with the necessary appliances it would be possible to intro-^ e tl r t t ^g| dand 

 duce into St Andrews Bay at a limited expense some millions 

 of young turbot, sole, and flounders. An experiment of this kind 



