of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



7 



In the season of 1906 the eggs were first observed in the water 

 of the spawning-pond at the beginning of February ; the spawning 

 gradually increased towards the end of the month, and was greatest 

 in March and the early part of April, and the last eggs were 

 obtained on 13th May. The total number of eggs collected from 

 the pond was estimated at 7,486,000, as compared with 40,110,000 

 in the previous year, so that the decrease, for the reason mentioned, 

 was great. The estimated number of fry which were hatched out 

 and put into the sea was 4,406,000, the loss being equivalent to 

 about 41 per cent., which is higher than usual. The principal 

 cause of this was an insufficient supply of pure water towards the 

 end of March, owing to a defect in the filtering arrangements in 

 the rebuilt hatchery, which was afterwards remedied. 



The fry were put into the sea in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen 

 in March, April, and May. The number of eggs collected and the 

 number of fry put out at the Bay of Nigg hatchery during the last 

 seven years are as follows : — 



Year. Eggs Collected. Fry Hatched. 



1900 . . . 43,290,000 31,305,000 



1901 . . . 63,370,000 51,800,000 



1902 . . . 72,410,000 55,700,000 



1903 . . . 65,940,000 53,600,000 



1904 . . . 39,600,000 34,780,000 



1905 . . . 40,110,000 15,790,000 



1906 . . . 7,486,000 4,406,000 



Owing to the small number of fry available it was not feasible to 

 forward supplies to the northern parts of the coast of Aberdeen, 

 for which the fishermen had petitioned. 



It may be mentioned that the expense in connection with the 

 hatching work i3 comparatively small, since it is carried on in 

 conjunction with the Marine Laboratory without any additional 

 staff. The total expenditure for extra coals, food for the fishes, 

 &c, was estimated at under £80. 



During the season the hatchery was visited by delegations of 

 fishermen from the counties of Argyll, Bute, Caithness, and Elgin, 

 under arrangements made with the various County Councils. 



Scientific and Technical Instruction to Fishermen. 



By an arrangement originally made with the Technical Com- 

 mittee of the County Council of Aberdeenshire, representative 

 fishermen from various parts of the coast of that county for some 

 years visited the Marine Laboratory in spring to attend demon- 

 strations on the life-history and habits of fishes, such as might be 

 of interest and use to them, and to see the processes of fish-hatching. 

 The arrangement was afterwards extended to other counties owing 

 to the interest taken by the fishermen in the instruction they 

 received, and, as above stated, fishermen from several other counties 

 attended in the spring of last year. Among the subjects taught 

 were the life-history of such fishes as the herring, cod, haddock, 

 and plaice, as well as of the mussel and edible Crustacea. The 



