of the Fishery Board Jor Scotland. 



199 



stomachs were small, even when the angler was large. The codlings 

 ranged from nine to twenty-three inches ; the whitings were mostly small, 

 from four inches upwards, but occasionally measuring ten, eleven, twelve, 

 and fourteen inches. The haddocks, on the other hand, were mostly 

 medium-sized, ranging from six-and-a-half to fifteen-and-a-half inches, 

 but generally measuring from ten to fourteen inches. Whether this 

 difference indicates a difference in the habit, or habitat, of the young 

 haddock is not clear. Possibly the whiting, which is predaceous, darts 

 about in pursuit of other fishes and thus comes within reach of the angler 

 more often than the leisurely-feeding haddock. The flat-fishes were also, 

 as a rule, small, the common dabs measuring from three-and-a-half to 

 six-and-a-half inches, and the long rough dabs between four and five 

 inches. In no case were large flat-fishes obtained in the stomachs. Small 

 plaice were got in two only — viz., two in July in one caught in the Moray 

 Firth, and six, along with three flounders, also in July in Aberdeen Bay. 

 The witch from the deep-sea grounds measured ten inches. The rarity of 

 the large fishes in the stomach of the angler probably points to their greater 

 caution than when younger. Experience no doubt teaches them more 

 readily to detect and to avoid the formidable lurking trap which forms 

 part of their natural environment. 



The only other organisms besides fish which were found in the 

 stomachs were a shore-crab in one and a swimming-crab in another, and 

 cephalopods in thirteen. The latter, having the habit of crawling about 

 the bottom, appear to constitute a fair proportion of the angler's food in 

 autumn. In all cases but one the cepalopods were squids ; the other 

 was an Eledone. The body of the cephalopod is digested much more 

 rapidly than the head and tentacles. 



In the stomachs of 102 anglers taken by the *' Garland" in the Forth 

 some years ago, fifty-one contained food and tifty-one were empty. 

 Whitings were got in six, sand-eels in four, herring in three, haddock in 

 three, cod in one, rockling in one, Lumpenus in one, skate in two, plaice 

 in one, long rough dab in one, and lemon dab in one, while cephalopods 

 were found in two and Crustacea {Eupagurus, Nephrops) in three.* 



During the Irish Survey Holt found seven stomachs of anglers con- 

 taining food, the identified forms being sprats, common dab, witch, and 

 sole.t 



* Seventh — Tenth Annual Reports, Pari III. 

 \ RepoH to Council, Roy. Duh. Soc, 1891, p. 311. 



[Tables. 



