TO 



Appendices to Second Annual Report 



It is easily understanding how such clusters may be formed if the female 

 is almost in contact with the steins, and there is nothing easier than to 

 form such clusters artificially ; the first eggs adhere to the stem, then the 

 others adhere to the eggs already deposited, but being heavy, some of 

 them roll over to the under aspect, so as to form the lower half of the 

 sphere, and the result is that, partly owing to the stems moving slightly, 

 there are usually as many eggs on their under as on their upper surface. 

 It would, however, be extremely difficult to understand how such clusters 

 or how conical masses could be formed on stones if the eggs fell several 

 fathoms before reaching the bottom. 



This method of depositing and fertilising the eggs accounts, I think, 

 for all the eggs, or, at least, for a very large percentage of those found 

 attached to sea-firs, sea-weeds, and stones, containing developing embryos. 



When a female was depositing her eggs she was very easily disturbed ; 

 whenever anything was introduced into the tank she at once darted off. 

 When strong currents were made she at first seemed to apply herself 

 nearer to the bottom to make sure, as it were, that the spawn would get 

 fixed before it could be carried away ; but when the currents were further 

 intensified, she at once changed her position, and arrested the escape of 

 the spawn. 



A spawning female was held immediately under the surface of the water 

 so as to cause the spawn to escape. When this was done, it escaped in 

 a long ribbon consisting of a single row of eggs. So firmly do the eggs 

 adhere to one another, that in perfectly still water the ribbon was some- 

 times over a foot in length before it broke. When it had only about 

 2 feet of water to travel through, it fell in wide loops to the bottom, but 

 when it had over 3 feet to fall, the chain broke up into numerous seg- 

 ments which formed an irregular pattern on the bottom. From experi- 

 ments made it seems the further the eggs have to fall, and the longer they 

 are in contact with the water before they reach the bottom, they are more 

 widely dispersed, and have all the less adhesive power. When the eggs 

 are expressed in water moving rapidly in various directions, the chains 

 soon break into short segments, and the individual eggs and the small 

 groups are often carried a considerable distance before they reach the 

 bottom. It will be evident that if the eggs are shed in strong currents 

 some fathoms from the bottom, the chances of their being fertilised will 

 be considerably diminished. When the sea is rough the fishermen seldom 

 expect a good ' take ; ' they believe, in fact, that during storms the herring 

 leave the spawning ground ; and if the eggs are always deposited as I have 

 described, we can easily understand that this might well be the case. 

 Sometimes, about the middle or near the end of the spawning period, the 

 whole school disappears in a single night. This generally happens during 

 or immediately after a storm, or some other disturbing cause. It may be 

 accounted for by supposing that the herring being ready to spawn, or 

 having already begun to deposit their eggs, finding the conditions on their 

 usual spawning grounds unfavourable, deserted them for banks at some 

 other part of the coast or at some distance seawards. 



A number of flat stones and pieces of sea-weed were obtained, and a 

 spawning female held over them at different distances in still water, in 

 water with gentle currents, and in water with strong currents. In this 

 way groups of eggs were obtained which mimicked in a very striking 

 manner all the arrangements of the eggs on the stones and sea-weeds 

 dredged on the Ballantrae Bank. When gently pressed a beaded ribbon, 

 consisting of a single row of eggs, always escaped. When there were no 

 currents it formed conical heaps ; when gentle currents the ribbon fell in 

 irregular loops, the elements of which arranged themselves so as to form 

 a flattened cone; but when strong currents acted on it, the ribbon was 



