of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



251 



X. — ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES. 



By Dr. T. Wemyss Fulton, F.R.S.E., Superintendent of Scientific 



Investigations. 



In last year's Report I described and figured two specimens of 

 Leptocephalus,* both taken in the Moray Firth, one in December and 

 the other in February. On 4th May last the Laboratory attendant, 

 while using a small trawl of very fine netting, fitted on an iron frame, 

 like a dredge-frame, for the capture of newly-transformed flat-fishes, 

 caught a third specimen, and part of another. The drag was made in 

 Aberdeen Bay, opposite the Bathing Station, in from four to five 

 fathoms of water, and the fish in the net were brought ashore alive and 

 placed in a tank in the tank-house at the Marine Laboratory. Next 

 morning, on examining the tank, the Leptocephalus was discovered 

 alive, concealed in a chink. Besides this living specimen, the head part 

 of another of apparently the same stage and dimensions was found 

 adhering to the net ; it had been cut off about a centimetre behind the 

 head, probably by the action of the edge of the iron frame dragged 

 along the bottom. Other similar hauls in the same locality were made 

 on succeeding days, but no other specimens were secured. 



The living specimen was transferred to a large glass basin, on the 

 bottom of which sand was strewn, and a stone with sea-weed growing 

 on it was placed in the centre. Tow-nettings and also collections of 

 Crustacea from the beach, as well as minced mussels latterly, were 

 placed in the tank. Here the young conger lived and thrived until 

 13th June, when it disappeared. It was observed by the attendant in 

 the morning, but was missed a few hours later. The overflow was 

 carried away by two S -shaped glass tubes, acting as syphons, and 

 removing the water at a little distance below the surface. The bore of 

 these tubes was about four millimetres in diameter, and it is not easy to 

 understand how the Leptocephalus could have made its exit through 

 either of them. 



As it was desired to rear it if possible, it was not removed from the 

 vessel for examination. So far as could be judged, it was about five 

 inches in length and about a centimetre in breadth, and corresponded 

 closely to the second of the two forms described last year, and identified 

 as L. punctatus, of Kaup. The myotomes and the median row of black 

 dots could be seen distinctly, but none were observed on the ventral 

 margin. It was slightly whitish, but translucent and almost trans- 



CONTENTS. 



The Young of the Conger (Leptocephalus), - 



The Anchovy (Engraulis encraskholus), 



The Catfish (Anarrhichas lupus), 



An Albino Plaice, .... 



The Spawning of the Cod in Autumn in the North Sea, 



PAGE. 



251 



252 

 252 

 252 

 253 



The Young of the Conger (Leptocephalus). 



* Ta-enty -Second Annual Report, of the Fishery Board Jor Scotland. Part III., p. 281. 



