438 Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
I have been enabled to trace back the first appearance of the 
new scale to the month of February, when it may be recognised as 
a dark tip growing upon a small papilla. 
By the middle of April, the epidermis on the head commences 
to peel off, and, probably somewhat later, over the body. The details 
of this process will have to be followed in sections ; but sufficient 
evidence is to hand to make it probable (1) that gadoid fishes shed 
their scales immediately after spawning ; (2) that after the age 
limit of spawning is reached no further shedding of scales takes 
place ; (3) that the concentric rings of the scales do not represent 
annual increments, but must have other causes. 
( Issued separately August 3 , 1903 .) 
