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Part III. — Eighth Annual Report 
has been found by scientific observers on the east coast. It should be care- 
fully looked for in May, June and July — especially the two latter months. 
The present series gives interesting phases in the life history of the 
rocklings (Motellce). These fishes live on the bottom in their adult state, 
and are widely distributed in British waters. The eggs and larval 
fishes are typically pelagic, while the early post-larval stages are often 
procured in the bottom-net. In the latter (earliest post-larval) stages 
neither Mr Prince nor the writer could see ventral fins, though Mr Brook 
has been more fortunate,* for he describes and figures them at very early 
stages. At any rate, these fins soon attain considerable size, as in the 
ling, and are remarkable for their conspicuous black pigment. The stages 
(5 to 8 mm.) furnished with long ventrals frequently seek the surface, as 
they also do at a much later stage when they are known as ' mackerel 
' midges'. They afterwards go downwards, and remain on the bottom. 
In the following notes on the preserved eggs the diagnosis cannot be 
upheld as absolutely certain in all cases, since many of the characteristic 
features disappear with vitality. It only carries us as far as our present 
knowledge goes, and since in some widely divergent forms, as for instance, 
ths bib and the lemon-dab and the dab and the turbot, the eggs are nearly 
equal in size, there is occasionally room for doubt — especially as the eggs 
vary a little in each case. 
Haddock. — The ova of the haddock appeared on the 4th and 5th 
February on Smith Bank, and shortly afterwards (6th and 7th) on well 
known grounds 22 to 25 miles south-east of Montrose. These pelagic 
ova abound all along the east coast till the end of April and perhaps even 
later. In the present collection they occurred in various parts of the 
Forth and St Andrews Bay — chiefly at the surface, though occasionally at 
the bottom, and the use of the trawl-like tow-net of the Laboratory shows 
that they are often abundant near the bottom. 
Cod. — The eggs of the cod were captured both at the surface and the 
bottom — the first appearing on the 22d February in the Forth. This is 
one of the most common eggs, both at the surface and the bottom. The 
spawning period thus at least extends from February to May, though it is 
noteworthy that in 1884 ripe cod were first met with only in April. It 
is unsafe, however, to rely on the observations of a single year. 
Bib. — Certain ova from St Andrews Bay in February and March 
correspond in size and appearance with those of the bib, which are a little 
less than those of the haddock. 
Whiting. — Few ova of the whiting appear in the collection — though 
there is no reason why they should have been so scarce. They abound in 
April and May. 
Ling. — A single egg, apparently of the ling, appears in the collection 
made on the fishing ground 22 to 25 miles south-east of Montrose. If the 
diagnosis be correct, this is considerably earlier than those procured from 
deep water and hatched at St Andrews, viz., in the end of April. 
Rockling. — No egg is more generally distributed than those of the 
rockling, but it is possible that more than one species is included in 
the series : the size certainly varies considerably. Though these eggs are 
small, they are easily recognised by the bright oil-globule. They are very 
abundant in March and also in April and May. 
Plaice. — The earliest pelagic ova in the collection are those of the 
plaice, which were procured in the Moray Firth on the 4th and 5th 
February. Eipe males were procured by the trawl on Smith Bank 
(where the pelagic ova occurred), but no ripe females. This may, 
however, have been accidental. In former years (e.g., 1884) many fine 
* Proc. Lin. Soc, vol. xviii., p. 298, pi. x., fig. 11. 
