of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
15 
the investigation into the invertebrate organisms present in Scottish 
lochs and inland waters is given in the present volume; that, 
namely, by Mr Thomas Scott, F.L.S, dealing with Loch Coulter 
and its affluent. While scientific inquiries into the nature and 
distribution of the fauna of fresh-water lakes have been made with 
noteworthy results abroad, as in Italy and Switzerland, no syste- 
matic investigation of the kind has been carried on in this country. 
These inquiries will throw light upon the special organisms that 
form the food of trout and other fresh-water fishes. An investi- 
gation of the fauna of Lochleven — so famous for the excellence of 
its trout —is now being proceeded with. 
The Presence of Anchovies in Scottish Waters. — Dr T. Wemyss 
Fulton gives the results of the inquiries made into the recent 
incursion of anchovies (Engraulis encrasicholus) into Scottish seas. 
During November, December, January, and February anchovies 
were captured in herring-nets at various places along the Scotch 
coast, from Dunbar to the Hebrides. 
This temporary incursion of anchovies, while of little importance 
from a practical fishery point of view, is of some zoological interest. 
4. The Development of Food-Fishes and Molluscs. 
The Development of the Scallop. — Dr J. H. Fullarton, one of the 
Board's naturalists, has completed a research on the embryology 
and development of the scallop, which is commonly known to the 
fishermen of the Firth of Forth and district as the clam, and is 
largely used by them as a most excellent bait. No study of the 
development of the clam had been made previously. While its 
reproduction may extend over a considerable portion of the year, 
it reaches its maximum in July and August. Dr Fullarton 
succeeded in artificially fertilising the ova and tracing the various 
changes which the developing ovum undergoes, and the various 
stages of the embryo. Immense numbers of free-swimming larvae 
were captured in September in the tow-nets used over the scallop- 
beds. This paper is accompanied by four plates. 
The Development of the Common Skate. — Dr John Beard, one of 
the naturalists, has been engaged on a study of the development of 
the common skate. Although the skate is one of the commonest 
elasmobranch fishes of our seas very little has been written of its 
life-history and development. The development of the embryo of 
the common skate as it lies within its ' purse ' at the bottom of the 
sea occupies a long period, probably nine or ten months ; it is much 
more rapid in summer than in winter. The eggs may be deposited 
throughout the year, but chiefly in March and April. Dr Beard 
furnishes a minute description of the egg-cases or ' purses ' of the 
various species of skates and rays, and of the various stages in the 
development of the embryo. He discusses the function of the 
temporary external gills, so characteristic in advanced stages of 
development ; and, in opposition to some other authorities he gives 
good reasons for the belief that they are purely respiratory in 
function, and are adapted to the special conditions under which the 
developing embryo is placed. Dr Beard's paper is illustrated by 
three plates. 
