290 Proceedings of the Boyal Physical Society. 
of milt and roe, but not the slightest appearance of the 
latter could be found, the milt being, however, distinctly 
seen in a rudimentary state. These fish, when dressed for 
table, were found to be in very fine condition, although 
differing in flavour from the herring, and to some tastes, as 
the fish women had said, not so palatable. It was matter 
of regret that the pilchards were only caught in large 
quantity for a few days in March, although sparingly 
among herring through the winter; and this partial appear- 
ance in the Firth in the present season corroborates Yar- 
rell's statements on the subject. As respects the spawning 
of the herring, the best authorities hitherto, although wath 
some doubt and misgiving, have assigned the periods of 
March and October as the times of deposit. The writer has, 
during the past winter, found the herrings taken in the 
Firth of Forth to be either gravid with spawn and milt, or 
else spent fish, continuously from the month of November 
until the end of March, during the whole period that the 
fish was sought after and taken ; and he sees no reason to 
doubt that during the whole period that the herring is 
found upon our shores, it is there for the purpose of depo- 
siting its spawn, which not improbably occurs the whole 
year round. 
Mr J. M. Mitchell exhibited several specimens of the sprat 
or garvie herring, Clupea sprattus, with well developed milt 
and roe. These fish were taken above Queensferry about 
the end of March. 
V. Notice of a Specimen of the SyngnatLus ^quoreus, taken in a lobster- 
net off Inchkeith, 17tJi April 1861. By William S. Young, Esq. 
Specific Characters. — P. C. and A. fins wanting ; dorsal 
and vent nearly in middle of entire length, resting on eleven 
rings, three of which belong to the tail. 
Description of this specimen : 21 inches in length ; head 
yVth of whole length. From point of snout to the orbit, 
1 inch ; from orbit to extremity of operculum, f th inch ; 
from end of snout to first dorsal ray, 8^ inches ; from last 
