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Part III. -Thirteenth Annual Report 



weeks after confinement, but was gradually and constantly decreasing. 

 The twenty- three specimens which were left in November, lived in the 

 creek throughout the winter, but they were unfortunately present in the 

 creek when the injured plaice succumbed, and were all lost in the 

 beginning of April this year, as I have explained above. 



Examination of the ovaries showed that they contained minute ova 

 under development for this season ; while the eggs from last year were 

 mostly present in a more or less disintegrated condition. 



As has been mentioned already, the turbot last year became ulcerated 

 on the lower part during their stay in the pond ; they had been confined 

 to the one half of the latter — a space, perhaps, too small for the rather 

 big fishes ; in any case, I am inclined to think the injury would have 

 been less if the fishes had had more freedom for their movements in a 

 larger space. 



This year, in order, if possible, to avoid difficulties from the kind 

 of bottom, the turbot have all the time, since they were received, been 

 kept on a sandy bottom in the creek ; and the bottom of the pond has 

 also been covered with a layer of sand. As was done last year, the 

 turbot have again been transported from Girvan : twelve were got on the 

 14th and sixteen on the 20th. 



Though only a fortnight has passed since the first turbot were got, and 

 not much time given for acclimatisation, they are already in good progress ; 

 during the la^t few days they have taken some food — fresh herring — and, 

 though an actual spawning cannot yet be expected, owing to the short 

 time of confinement, unfertilised eggs are daily fouud in the water ; as 

 some of the fishes are ripe, eggs have been artificial^ fertilised, and 

 about 3,800,000 young turbot delivered in the neighbouring waters. 



So far the work on turbot has this year been successful, and though 

 nothing can be said as yet with certainty, as to the future progress during 

 the season, there is good prospects that satisfactory results will be 

 obtained. 



