260 Part III. — Ninth Annual Report 
Fifesliire, on 19tli May, were examined by me. The details are as 
follows : — 
Length of 
Fish 
(in inches). 
Weight 
of Fish 
(in grains). 
Weight of 
Ovaries 
(in grains). 
W eight of 
part taken 
(in grains). 
Number of 
Ova 
counted. 
Total 
Number 
of Ova 
in Ovaries. 
1 
12 
984 
92 
3 
/Large, 1084 
\ Small, 940 (?) 
33,242 
28,826 
62 068 
"2 
12 
1021 
65 
3 
/Large, 1550 
t Small, 1300 (?) 
33,583 
28,166 
61,749 
3 
9i 
557-5 
61 
3 
/Large, 1441 
t Small, 1635 (?) 
17,580 
19,947 
37,527 
The ovaries were yellowish-brown, the tint resembling that of the 
ovaries of the common sole. Those of the third specimen appeared 
most fully developed. The abdomen of the fish was not swollen by 
the presence of the ovaries, which, apparently, were carried with ease. 
The great bulk of the organ was composed of ova of a trans- 
lucent brownish appearance. These ova became intensely white and 
opaque on boiling, in which condition they were hard and not easily 
ruptured, as is the case with demersal ova. The size of these ova was 
from 0"82 to 0*58 mm. The ova classed as 'small' consisted of compara- 
tively few of about half the size of these, and a large number going 
down to microscopic (0"06 mm.). A proportion of the small ova were 
enumerated with the aid of a lens, and the remainder estimated from 
the figures obtained. I may mention that, as in the case of the herring, 
and differing from most if not all fish with pelagic ova, the testes are 
larger and heavier than the ovaries. Thus, of six specimens taken 
at random, the gross weight of the testes of three specimens was 
323'5 grains, giving an average of 107'8 grains for those of each fish. 
The gross weight of the ovaries of the other three specimens was 
(inclusive of membranes), 227*5 grains, or an average for each fish of 
75-8 grains. The females were longer and somewhat heavier than the 
males. The number of the sexes, as in the herring, appears to be about 
equal. 
The Lesser Sand-Eel (Ammodytes tohianus). 
In the end of June Mr Jamieson procured some ripe specimens at 
Dunbar, and I determined the fecundity of two specimens, as follows : — 
Length of 
Fish 
(in inches). 
Weight 
of 
Fish. 
Weight of 
Ovaries 
(in grains). 
Weight of 
part taken 
(in grains). 
Number of 
Ova 
counted. 
Total 
Number 
of Ova 
in Ovaries. 
1 
2 
7 
5i 
302 grains 
128 „ 
71 
24 
6 
4 
3068 
2255 
36,305 
13,350 
