256 
Part III. — -Ninth Annual Report 
uniform in size (0*9 to 0'7 mm.), resembling the condition in the plaice. 
In No. 3 the ovaries were fully matured. The opaque eggs were chiefly 
large, but a considerable number were small, and there was not the uni- 
formit}^ in size as in No. 2. Of the 5398 eggs in the portion taken, 706 
were large and hyaline, and 4692 were opaque and of various sizes. 
In No. 4 the ova were exceedingly different in size — (1) large hyaline 
(148 in number), (2) large opaque (but more intermediate), (3) a gradu- 
ated series from the latter to those almost microscopic. There seems to 
be a gradual growth until the maximum size of the opaque ova is reached 
and then a sudden expansion, and this goes on during oviposition. In 
No. 5 the portion taken contained 258 large hyaline ova and 1586 opaque. 
R. E. Earll"^ gives the results of the examination of specimens as 
follows : — Weighing 9 lbs. 9 oz. (ovaries 8| oz.), 1,839,581 ; weighing 
6 lbs. 13 oz. (ovaries b\ oz.), 849,315; weighing 4 lbs. (ovaries 4J oz.), 
403,132 ; weighing 2 lbs. 6 oz. (ovaries 2 oz.), 169,050. The parts of the 
ovary weighed 4 and 5 grains, and the number of ova per grain varied 
from 192 to 487-5. 
Bib or Brassie (Gadus luscus). 
Two specimens were examined, both sent by Mr Scott from the * Gar- 
* land' on 12th May. In both, the ovaries were ripe and very soft, 
consisting largely of hyaline ova. The colour of the ovaries was greyish. 
Length of 
Fish 
(in inches). 
AVeight 
of 
Fish. 
Weight of 
ovaries 
(in grains.) 
Weight of 
part taken 
(in grains.) 
Nnmher of 
Ova 
counted. 
Total 
Number 
of Ova 
in Ovaries 
1 
m 
5| oz. 
166 
• { 
Large, 435 
Small, 3150 
12,035 
87,150 
3585 
99,185 
2 
9| 
5^ oz. 
190 
6 1 
Large, 272 
Small, (?) 3200 
8,613 
(?) 101,333 
109,946 
3572 
The diameter of the large ova was from 1'03 to 0*9 mm.; of the smaller 
from 0'59 mm. to about 0*05 mm. 
Whiting {Gadus merlangtis). 
Eleven whitings were examined in March and April, but so large a 
proportion of the ova were minute that enumeration was not attempted, 
although many of them contained large hyaline mature ova. This was 
the case even in March. A specimen caught on 25th March in the Firth 
of Eorth was 14 inches in length and weighed 14 ounces; the ovaries 
weighed 918 grains (deducting the weight of the ujembranes, &c.). Ten 
grains contained 308 clear ova, 1'3 to 1*2 mm. in diameter, which gives 
the total of such ova in the ovaries as 28,274. There were a very large 
number of smaller ova, ranging from 0'85 mm. to 0'05 mm. Another 
specimen, caught on 20th March in the Firth of Forth, was 17 inches in 
length and weighed 29 J ounces. The ova weighed 1048 grains. Fifteen 
grains contained not more than six or eight of the large ova, but several 
thousands of sn)aller sizes dovk^n to microscopic. This fish contained at 
least from 150,000 to 200,000 ova. So witli those in April. Mature 
hyaline ova existed in most of these specimens. On the 8th May two 
* U.S. Fish Commissio7i Beport/or 1878, p. 733, 1880. 
