OBSERVATIONS ON HOTARU-IICA WATASENIA SCINTILLANS. 97 
night in the spring, he will see that they are sure to follow the tidal current, 
for their movements at that time, are not so rapid or active as those of the 
migratory fish or other cuttle-fish such as the Ounnastrcphes or LoUgj. They 
swim slov/ly, with the head forward, swinging in front the luminous organs of 
the ventral arms which lighten their course like a lantern. 
Comparing the statistics for the last 5 years, the best class of Fukubc-aini, 
as to the amount caught in this region, are the following nets : Kiiroyama 
series, Saiiibyome, Niltyome and Nobotihata-konone , which are in such a position 
that the school of Hotam-ika very easily enters the nets, the deepest bed of 
this region being situated very near in front. 
In this region, it seems as if the distance of the net from the sea-shore has 
no special reference to the catch. Is this caused by the fact that the submarine 
valley is so broad in area that the schools move at the same rate towards the 
nets of the offing as towards those near coast? 
The matter to be noticed with reference to fresh water is that Dogo and 
Yokobiki-niban being washed by the waters of the Sho river, the Shinsho river 
and the excurrent river of Lake Hojozu, stand in a low class, as to the amount 
caught, but whether that depends upon the fresh water or not, can not be 
determined until still further evidence has been found. For on the other 
hand, at Namerikawa there is the interesting fact that the school of feeble 
Hotaru-ika come to the mouth of a river in the late season (June). 
That the Karhnata series and Snzushiina series are inferior in amount, 
depends upon the fact that they are very near the shallow beds of the Himi 
coast, for the same reason as is verified later. 
b) Yokata coast {^\. Ill, fig. 3). This coast has a submarine valley in 
front as mentioned before, the central portion of which reaches about loo 
fathoms and the 50-F-line also approaches very closely to the shore, and the 
east boundary wall of the valley shows a very sudden incline. The tidal cur- 
rent runs eastwards as is the case with the before mentioned coast. The Fukube- 
auii fixed there at present (191 3) are only 9, all facing towards the current, the 
catch of which is shown in the following table : 
