of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



131 



June 5 some of the fishes were at first confined in -the creek, from which 

 they were transferred on the 15th to the vacant compartment of the 

 spawning pond. The fishes that were brought after that date were at 

 once placed in the pond. In this confinement the turbot remained very 

 quiet ; in fact, none were seen swimming about in the water, and it was 

 only when stirred up by the landing net, that some of them made their 

 appearance near the surface. When left by themselves they again settled 

 on the bottom. 



While the soles in the beginning of July began to feed, and, on the 

 whole appeared to make good progress, the turbot remained in the same 

 quiet condition for a longer time, and it was not until about the middle 

 of July that specimens were seen to swim about in a more natural way 

 As in the case of the soles, modifying experiments as to the best arrange- 

 ments were not completed. A great variety of food was put in to the 

 fishes, such as lugworras, young soft crabs, small fish of various kinds, 

 shrimps, &c., but during my stay I was unable to actually see if anything 

 was eaten by the turbot. 



As was explained last year, the tidal creek had been converted to a 

 spawning pond in which the eggs might be collected by a floating 

 collector — the depth of the water in the creek varying according to the 

 tide. 



The lemon soles were supplied by the 4 Garland,' during the middle of 

 June, and were caught in the Firth of Forth. This species is com- 

 paratively hardy, and, on the whole, easy to deal with, so a satisfactory 

 result as to their breeding was looked forward to. And about the end of 

 June and the beginning of July, fertilised eggs were found in the water, 

 so that it was certain that natural spawning had occurred : their number 

 was, however, too small for hatching operations. This was apparently 

 owing to the fishes caught by the ' Garland ' being of a small size. Of 

 fifty-one specimens, of which I have got the measurements, the average 

 size was 11 inches, and only thirteen had a length of 13 inches or more. 

 The fishes, therefore, were mostly immature, which accounts for the small 

 number of eggs. The lemon soles were caught by the ' Garland ' when 

 trawling for other purposes, and the fishes, notwithstanding their small 

 size, were landed, as there was no particular trouble or expense in 

 connection with the transport, or the confinement in the tidal creek. 



7. On the Experiments with the Breeding op Turbot during the 

 Autumn 1894, and the month op June 1895. 



As has been stated above the experiments with the turbot last year did 

 not lead to any actual spawning, though the fishes were kept under 

 observation in the pond a considerable time. When removed a number 

 were found to have become abraded and ulcerated on the lower surface 

 of the head, apparently owing to friction against the wooden flooring. 

 It was surprising that the same conditions which suited the plaice well 

 should not have suited the turbot, and it was impossible to foresee that 

 this would happen. 



But it must be kept in mind that the turbot are much larger fishes 

 than the plaice, and that they were kept in the pond for more than four 

 months after I left, and without being acclimatised beforehand, — circum- 

 stances, to which it should not be necessary to have the fishes exposed. 

 The injuries, however, were gradually healed some months after the 

 turbot had been transferred to the creek, which has got a sandy bottom. 

 The number which succumbed was naturally greatest during the first 



