360 
Part III. — Eighth Annual Report 
growth, oviposition, hatching, and development of a large number of the 
food-fishes, the descriptions being illustrated by twenty-eight beautiful 
plates. The ova examined are arranged in two divisions (1) pelagic or 
floating eggs ; (2) non-pelagic or demersal eggs. Under the former come 
those of the long rough dab, turbot, plaice, lemon dab, craig-fluke, 
common dab, common flounder, sole, Miiller's topknot, ling, five-bearded 
rockling, cod, haddock, bib, whiting, poor cod, green cod, pollack, frog- 
fish, skulpin, lesser weever, sprat, and grey gurnard. Uuder the latter 
division those of the herring, smelt, salmon, trout, bimaculated sucker, 
wolf-fish, shanny, viviparous blenny, Montagu's sucker, lump-sucker, 
goby, armed bullhead, cottus, fifteen-spined and three-spined stickleback, 
sea-bream, gunnel, &c. 
The eggs of most of these species are described in detail. When 
dealing with the extrusion and deposition of the eggs, the authors state 
that among those whose eggs are demersal, deposition may be very rapid 
(salmon, lump-sucker, Cottus scorjrius) ; while among those with pelagic 
ova extrusion may be prolonged and intermittent, as is the case with the 
ling, flounder, cod, and especially the common gurnard. 
The authors <;ive an elaborate description of the various phenomena of 
development, the structure of the ova &c, which cannot be summarised 
here. Of more general interest are the chapters on the embryonic, larval, 
and post-larval conditions of the food-fishes belonging to the gadidre, 
pleuronectidae, &c. Professor M'Intosh succeeded in obtaining a com- 
plete series of the young cod. In June they were captured in the trawl 
tow-net and in the mid- water net sunk three or four fathoms in water six 
or seven fathoms deep, showing that they generally frequent the lower 
regions of the water. The post-larval stages of the haddock have hitherto 
escaped detection. Among the general remarks on the post-larval fishes 
is an interesting account of the habitats and migrations (so far as known) 
of the young of various round and flat fish ; but it is evident our know- 
ledge of this chapter of fish life is as yet very imperfect. The development 
and life history of the wolf-fish (Anmrhichas lupus) is very fully 
described. 
There is little doubt this memoir will become classical in fishery 
literature. 
Mr W. Anderson Smith, Ledaig, has made a study of the marine life 
destroyed by the trawl, and its influence on fish life,* in which he chiefly 
deals with the destructive action of the beam trawl on the organisms 
which form the food of edible fishes. He states that multitudes of 
Crustacea, echinodermata, mollusca, &c, are taken and destroyed by the 
trawl-net, which also destroys the Alyconia, SertularidaB, &c, upon which 
these invertebrates largely feed. ' We thus find that this great engine 
1 tears up the sea-bottom, and practically clears it of its invertebrate life, 
* so that the stretches of bottom covered with zoophyte growths are 
1 destroyed as fish nurseries. The crustacean fauna is killed or captured, 
' or its food supply removed. The molluscan or soft-bodied fauna is like- 
1 wise destroyed, while the sea-urchins and star-fish are cleared away 
1 wholesale.' Mr Smith also refers to the capture and destruction of im- 
mature fish by the beam trawl and shrimp trawl, especially near shore. 
The National Sea Fisheries Protection Association held a conference 
last year at which some subjects of general interest were discussed.f The 
capture and sale of immature fish was the first subject considered, and the 
following resolution was passed : — ' That the subject be adjourned in 
* Trans. Highland and Agricult. Soc. Scot., Fifth Scries, vol. ii. p. 44, 1890. 
t Report of Proceedings at the Conference of Representatives of the Sea Fishing In- 
dustry, 1889. London, 1889. 
