256 



Part III. — Fifteenth Annual Report 



flounder were plentiful, as well as the gadoid forms mentioned. This 

 is the time when most of the food-fishes are spawning, as April is on the 

 Clyde. 



During July 1894 no eggs of long rough dab, plaice, brill, haddock, 

 whiting, witch, green-cod, ling, or sprat, were obtained ; a few new forms 

 occurring, the weever, megrim, lemon dab, Midler's topknot, and sole- 

 nette. The eggs of the gurnard and dab are still the most abundant, 

 though the relative positions of the two are altered. There is a great 

 diminution, however, both in the forms represented and the abundance 

 of ova. 



During the latter part of July and first part of August 1895, a still 

 greater diminution is seen, except in the case of the gurnard. This fish 

 is remarkable in that the number of ova got, relative to those of other 

 fish, shows no diminution from April to the first part of August. Its 

 spawning period must, therefore, extend over that time. On the Clyde, 

 its eggs occur most frequently in April ; on the Forth, at the end of 

 May and beginning of June. 



The eggs of the megrim, Midler's topknot, lemon-dab, cod, and bib, 

 have disappeared by the end of July, and the numbers of the other fishes' 

 eggs are greatly decreased. 



Table showing the number of Ova obtained in Moray Firth during 

 latter part of August 1896. 



Month. 



August. 



Sept. 





Day. 



24. 



25. 



25. 



25. 



25. 



26. 



26. 



22. 



Total. 



Station. 



IV. 



s. 



VI. 



s. 



VII. 

 S. 



VIII 

 S. 



IX. 

 S. 



I. 



S. 



X. 



s. 



III. 



S. 





Species — 





















Weever, 



1 



3 









1 







5 



Cod, . 





6 



4 



2 



1 



1 



2 





11 



Bib, . 







2 













2 



Megrim, 









12 



"i 



5 



2 



3 



24 



Whiting, . 

















1 



1 



Poor-cod, . 









1 





1 





8 



10 



Dab, . 



4 



12 











2 



2 



20 



Motella, 





1 



14 



1 







11 



6 



33 



Dragonet, . 







1 



3 







3 





7 



Solenette, . 

















3 



3 



Turbot, 







2 



2 







2 





6 



Gurnard, . 







11 





4 





4 





19 



In the present list for the latter part of August 1896, one or two of 

 these forms again occur, the cod, bib, and megrim, but in very small 

 numbers. Motella is the most strongly represented, with thirty-three 

 eggs. The total number of eggs is one hundred and forty-six. Neither 

 the flounder nor the solenette are got in August, but on September 22nd, 



