32 



Appendices to Second Annual Beport 



Aberdeenshire coast during the period specified, and most of them were 

 at or about the time of spawning. This latter condition, I have no 

 doubt, future researches will show, exercises an important effect on the 

 condition of some of the digestive organs. 



My original intention was to make — 1. A microscopic examination of 

 the alimentary canal of certain typical food fishes ; and 2. A chemical 

 examination of the digestive fluids, and of the digestive processes, to 

 ascertain to what extent these differed from or resembled the digestive 

 processes in other animals. As yet I have been able to overtake only a 

 small part of this programme, but I think enough has been ascertained to 

 show that the field is a most fruitful one, and one likely to yield a large 

 harvest of useful and practical results. 



