of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



249 



7° C. On the Clyde, therefore, the time taken during incubation will be 

 (Dannevig, Thirteenth Scottish Fishery Board Report) about sixteen days ; 

 on the east coast, about eighteen, and longer for Danish water. It may 

 be, then, that the longer period of incubation has pushed the spawning 

 time back towards the winter. The drift currents on the west have not 

 been traced as they have on the east, and it is almost impossible to con- 

 jecture how far down the Irish Channel, or how far out in the Atlantic 

 the plaice eggs were spawned, In Loch Fyne, the number of eggs of 

 long rough dab and plaice far exceeds that from Clyde and East Coast. On 

 the 23rd April, from Loch Gair to Quay Ferry, 1470 plaice eggs were got 

 at 6J fathoms This is near the head of the Loch, and allowing a period 

 of about twelve days' incubation — for the embryo was not fully round the 

 yolk in any — and a drift of about five miles each day, this would give 

 the spawning ground near the Mull of Cantyre, and the time of spawning 

 the first few days in April. To ascertain the truth, however, it would be 

 necessary to have more facts at one's disposal — a knowledge of the direc- 

 tion and rate of drift currents, and the results of trawlings in February 

 and March. 



The haddock and cod are present.in the Firth of Clyde and Loch Fyne 

 in enormous numbers. The spawning period of the haddock on the west, 

 like that of plaice, seems to be continued later than in the east, because 

 in the east the numbers are small and cease altogether in April (Thir- 

 teenth Scottish Fishery Board Report), whereas on the west they are 

 large and continue so on to the 24th April. If the same line of reason- 

 ing that was taken for the plaice be gone through for the haddock and 

 cod, it will be seen that it is doubtful whether the haddock or plaice 

 spawn first, but the cod, as on the east, is later than both. 



Whatever applies to the cod applies also to the whiting and poor cocl, 

 because the numbers for the three at all places, run almost equal — the cod 

 being in excess. On the east coast, the greatest numbers of the whiting 

 and poor cod eggs were got on the 22nd and 23rd April, those of poor cod, 

 however, continuing to the end of May. The time is almost the same, 

 therefore, for both coasts. If it be inferred, because of more favourable 

 conditions as to climate, temperature, etc., that the spawning time for the 

 Clyde should be earlier than on the east, then the number of eggs of cod, 

 whiting, etc., that ought to be got in March should far exceed those got in 

 April. From present figures it would seem as if spawning season is at 

 same time. 



Green cod. — One or two eggs of this form were found on three 

 occasions. 



Gurnard. — The eggs of the gurnard are very abundant in the Firth of 

 Clyde. From the 10th to the 20th April they are only found in four out 

 of eleven trawls ; after that date they are present everywhere in great 

 uumbers. In Loch Fyne, only one egg w 7 as found. On the east (1894) 

 gurnards' eggs did not appear until the 22nd of May. This latter fact 

 would point to the conclusion that the spawning period for gurnard is 

 much earlier in the west than in the east. Since the eggs are not got in 

 Loch Fyne, it may be inferred that they were spawned in the Firth and 

 had not had time to drift up the Loch. They should be found in the 

 Loch later. 



Sprat. — The eggs of sprat are not common in April either in Firth of 

 Clyde or Loch Fyne. They were found first on 21st April, at Station 

 VII., Firth of Clyde, in bottom net. The greatest number at any time 

 was 54, and this is in striking contrast to the numbers taken on the 

 east coast in April, May and June 1894. In Loch Fyne still fewer were 

 found. It would seem, therefore, that the spawning period has hardly 

 yet begun, and that it is later than in the east. 



