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Part III. — Eighth Anmial Report 
cent. ; sand-stars and molluscs (Pecten, Buccinum, Cardium) were found 
each in about 30 per cent. ; annelids and fish as articles of food were 
merely represented. 
Angler Fish. — Without doubt fish forms almost the sole article of diet 
of the angler. Whitings, herrings, sprats, skate, haddocks, cod, sand- 
eels, rockling, long rough dabs, and other flat-fish have all been found in 
the stomachs examined. Only one stomach of 33 containing food con- 
tained anything but fish, viz., an arthropod (Eupagurus). 
The food of very young fish is a subject requiring much investigation. 
It is but slightly referred to in the following pages ; two shoit paragraphs 
record all that has been done with regard to it. 
A comparison of the food of the same kinds of fish at the outlying and 
the inshore stations would prove, as one can already see, very interesting 
and instructive j but such a comparison will be more confidently made 
when another year's observations of food are recorded, and a list is before 
one of the fauna brought up by the trawl- net and dredge at the various 
stations during the different months of the year. Then also would be 
the proper time to deal with the whole subject in a comprehensive 
manner, with the certainty that something at least is known of the habits 
and food of food-fishes, and the reasonable expectation that something 
may be done to preserve and improve the food supply of the more valu- 
able fishes in different localities, and to prepare the way for the introduc- 
tion of valuable fish, where now they are scarce. 
I. FIRTH OF FORTH. 
Plaice. 
(Pleuronertes platessa). 
Of 328 stomachs examined 57 were empty, and the contents of 7 were 
indistinguishable:* 264 contained matter that could be identified. The 
following notes refer to these 264 : — 
Echinoderms were found in 24 stomachs (9 %). They consisted of (1) 
Ojphiura, at Station II., in two in May ; at Station IV., in two in May and 
iu one in March ; at Station VI., in one in April, in two in May, in one in 
June, in three in February and in one in March ; and at Station VII., in 
two in May and in one in June : (2) Amphiura (sp. filiformis), at Station 
VII., in two in June, in three in August and in one in March : (3) 
Ophioglypha, at Station IV., in two in August and at Station VI., in one 
in August : (4) Eel nno cardium (sp. cordatus), at Station VIII., in one 
in August : (5) Asterias, at Station III., in one in July. 
Annelids were found in 167 stomachs (63%). They consisted of (1) 
Sabella, at Station I., in two in June, in one in July and in two in March; 
at Station II., in two in June; at Station III., in one in July and 
in four in November; at Station IV, in one in August and in six in 
March ; at Station V, in two in August and in two in March ; at Station 
VI., in two in June ; at Station VIII., in one in June, in one in July and 
in one in August; and at Station IX., in one in August and in one in 
November: (2) Priapulus (sp. caudatus) ) at Station I., in one in March; 
at Station II., in one in August ; at Station III., in four in June; and at 
Station VIII., in two in August : (3)Nereis, at Station I., in one in June ; 
* Those recorded as ' indistinguishable ' generally contained some pulp or mucus. 
