of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 
351 
includes from September to January. 2nd, That it takes twenty days, 
more or less, for the deposition of the eggs from the incubating purse of 
the female. 3rd, That the incubation lasts six months, during which the 
oggs remain fixed by means of a glandular secretion. 4th, That the birtli 
of the larv?e — or Zoae — takes place in spring, from March to May. He 
elsewhere speaks of the Homants, called French lobster at Corunna, and 
elsewhere Bogavante, Logavante, (fee, which steadily diminishes, because 
the yotmg are sedentary and, eonsec[uently more easily destroyed. 
He calls attention emphatically to the uselessness of promulgating laws 
unless they are carried out and means supplied for doing so. [Another 
paper says, ' like the foolish virgins we have lamps but no oil.'] And 
further, that unless local authorities support the efforts of the higher 
authorities, destruction is winked at, not checked. Then follows a list 
of species, defined by their vulgar and scientific names, and their Spanish 
congeners, with the close time and the minimum size. 
In an interesting letter from Havana, Juan Vilaro writes of the wealth 
of those seas, that every year they destroy by fire great quantities of 
Mullet (Mugil Lebranchus) owing to insufficient salt to cure the millions 
taken. He resents this : — ' Seeing that we are the greatest consumers of 
' salt provisions in the world, Spain and Cuba having consumed in seven 
* years — 1870 to 1876 — 179,201,950 kilos of fish, which cost our country 
' 22,682,715 dollars; considering the elements that ought, as they might, 
' stimulate our endeavour and conquer our indolence, namely, our enviable 
' geographical position • vast production, easy to keep and increase ; suit- 
' able and secure markets ; great demand, with certain increase if cheapened ; 
' and, as a natural sequel to all this, no fear of competition, it being so 
c easy for us to form boundless everlasting saltpans in our warm and 
' intricate bays, where from the month of June it reaches 32° C. in the 
' shade, a figure that speaks for itself. We are so greatly favoured by 
' the providential Gulf Stream, which closes the road to the north to one 
' portion, of our edible species, as our savoury Cherma criolla (Epineplielus 
' striatus), that grows to 12 \ kilos, as well as the Pargos (Pargo criollo, 
1 Lutjanus analis ; Pargo guachinango, L. campechianus ; Pargo de lo alto, 
1 L. profundus), greatly increased by the Guasa (Promicrops Guasa) that 
1 runs from 50 to 300 kilos of meat, as fine in a fresh state as unequalled 
' salted, it is natural that I complain, on every possible occasion, to see 
' how our rich fisheries are neglected, when they are not wasted.' Vilar6 
Diaz concludes his valuable monograph on Havana fisheries by the 
following conclusions, which he proposes to the Commission : — 
1st, That a close time ought to be instituted for the fishing of Molluscs, 
Crustaceans, and useful Turtles. 2nd, The close time for Pholas, Litho- 
domus, Solen et varius, under the generic name of Almejas, Coquina, 
Venus, Cardiwn, Pecten, and Modiola, should include from 1st January 
to 30th June. 3rd, The close time for Oysters should extend from 1st 
May to 30th September (not August as with us). 4th, The close time 
for Squilla, Palaemonidae, Scyllarus, Pcdinurus of species, Mithrax, 
Menippe, Lupa of species, and Cardisoma, should last from 1st October 
to 31st March. 5th, The close time for Turtles (Carey, la Caguama, and 
la Tortuga) ought to last from 1st May to 30th August. 6th, The dis- 
tribution and sale of mussels (Mytilus), the Ajae terrestre (Gecarcinus) 
and Ajae de Momglar (Uca) ought to be prohibited, as being dangerous 
or injurious for food. 
This covers a very wide area, and the proposed minimum size is given 
with "most of the species, which list shows a general use of many genera 
never employed as food in this country. Attention is called to the law 
of 31st July 1891, by which the Portuguese Government will only per- 
mit trawling to those vessels already registered, and those only for ten 
