•2M 
Part III. — Eighth Annual Report 
LARVAL, POST-LARVAL, AND YOUNG FISHES. 
St Andrews Bay.-— In the beginning of March the bottom-net gave 
larval and early post-larval herrings, with post-larval examples of Coitus. 
A larval form apparently prematurely hatched from Pleuronectid ovum 
B. was also present. Minute sand-eels of several stages, post-larval armed 
bullheads, Montagu's suckers, a larval rockling and larval cod were added 
before the end of the month. Considerable obscurity still exists with 
regard to the development and earliest stages of certain of these common 
forms, such as Agonus, Ltparis montagui, and even the cottoids, for there 
seems to be great variety in regard to size and coloration of the ova of 
the latter group. Post-larval flounders usually appear about the middle 
of April in the mid-water-net, and about the same time the older, though 
still very translucent, forms are found in the rock-pools. In the 1 Garland ' 
the first young flounders (pelagic) were captured in the bottom-net at the 
beginning of May, the eye being still on the ridge. On the same date the 
sand-eels and herrings have increased in size, and a larval lump-sucker was 
added to the list. The earlier post-larval cod are now increasing in length 
(6*5 mm.), the pigment along the sides is changing, and they generally 
occur in the bottom-net. On the 5th May some post-larval herrings had 
readied 16 mm., and the larval stage of Coitus quadricomis, the unknown 
post-larval E.,* and other forms previously noted occurred 
The Frith of Forth. — One of the most interesting features in this region 
is the presence of the young of the wolf-fish (Anarrhichas), about f in. 
long, at the surface, in February — showing that the escape of this species 
from the egg must take place at the commencement of the year. As 
usual in such cases a margin on either side of this date is necessary in 
defining the hatching period — some being earlier and others later. 
The coloration in this example differed from that of those reared in the 
Laboratory, the black pigment being characteristically grouped on the 
sides, anteriorly forming conical processes with their bases at the dorsum, 
but blending posteriorly into the ventral series below the lateral line. 
The pigment has not yet invaded the fins. This form apparently 
represented a very large example, since it could scarcely be relegated to 
the previous season. Others, from 19 to 20 mm. in length, were captured 
the first week in May, likewise at the surface, and in these the character- 
istic grouping of the pigment-bars was also evident. The more direct 
exposure to light in the glass vessels of the Laboratory, as in the case of 
the pleuronectids and others, rapidly increases the pigment in these 
young fishes. 
Amongst other forms young clupeoids 1J in. long occurred in the 
bottom-net off Bo'ness in February. In March larval cod, Cotti and post- 
larval D.f about 11 mm. In April post-larval plaice, herring, Cotti and 
Agoni. In May larval haddock, rockling, post-larval cod 6 mm., young 
sand-eels 12 - 5 mm., Cottus 12 mm. long, pleuronectid, and Montagu's 
sucker (?) were procured. In June a young turbot of 9 mm., and a grey 
gurnard of 13 mm. appeared at the surface. The occurrence of young 
dragonets at the end of July, in the bottom-net, and of herrings (18 mm. 
long) in October (autumnal brood) completed the series. 
* "Development of Food Fishes," M'lntosh and Prince, p. 861. 
t Op. cil, p. 860. 
