82 



Appendices to Second Annual Report 



The tin cases should in the meantime be retained by you, or used for 

 transmitting to Professor Cossar Ewart any interesting natural history 

 specimens you may obtain from fishermen, or otherwise procure. 



The small bottles are intended for the reception of the stomachs of 

 herrings or sprats containing food of any description whatever, — whether 

 that consists of large or small creatures or portions of creatures, and 

 though these may have reached an advanced stage of digestion. 



The stomachs, along with their contents, should be put into the 

 bottles, and each bottle should bear a label stating — 



To what kind of fish the stomach belongs ; 

 Size of fish ; 



The depth of water at which the fish were taken ; 



Character of bottom ; 



The place where, and 



The date when caught ; along with 



Your name ; thus — 



Herring, 8 in. 30 m. N.E. Wick. 

 20 faths. 1st January 1884. 

 Sandy bottom. 



Fishery Officer. 



A similar label, in pencil, should be put inside the bottle. 



Whenever, say, six or eight of the bottles have been charged, they 

 should be sent by you, per parcels post, in game or other boxes, addressed 

 to Professor Cossar Ewart, University of Edinburgh, and great care 

 should be taken to see that the bottles are securely packed. 



If a large number of bottles are likely to be required by you, that fact 

 should be at once communicated to me, unless similar bottles are obtain- 

 able in your neighbourhood at, say, 2s. per dozen, and methylated spirit 

 at 4s. 6d. per gallon. 



To further, as far as possible, the researches of the Scientific Investiga- 

 tion Committee, you are requested to use your utmost endeavours to 

 obtain as many herring and sprat stomachs as you can, as well as to 

 secure all rare and interesting fish or other marine forms which may be 

 brought up by fishermen in your district, and transmit them to Professor 

 Cossar Ewart, accompanied in every case by a note of whatever informa- 

 tion you possess regarding them. 



On obtaining specimens of fish and other marine objects, they should 

 be at once placed for two or three days in a mixture of two parts of 

 methylated spirit to one of water ; and, before packing them in game 

 boxes or in the tin cases referred to, they should be wrapped in a thin 

 piece of canvas or cheese cloth, which has been previously moistened 

 with spirit. 



It is hoped that ultimately special copper boxes will be provided, in 

 which to prepare the specimens for transit. 



Specimens which are small or delicate should be placed in bottles, 



