18 
Alnmouth Bay, July 27tli. 
Surface. 
Gurnard a few. 
Dab ... ... ... do. 
Mid-water. — Same as Surface. 
After this date, no pelagic ova were obtained. 
But if during the summer the pelagic ova did not occur in 
any quantity, a few trials with the surface net earlier in the year 
yielded numerous ova of great interest. 
Our first trial was on the 30th December, 1897. There was a 
heavy swell. We got no ova in the surface net, the catch being 
composed almost entirely of sagitta. 
In response to a letter I sent to the skipper of the “Livingstone,” 
I received the products brought in with a surface net on the 
30th March, with a note that the net was towed from Blytli harbour 
mouth S.E. across the bay for about three miles and back again. 
For a few days before there had been a heavy easterly wind and sea, 
and I was therefore not surprised to find a large number of eggs, 
including the following important forms : — 
Con, some 20. In most cases the embryos were already well 
advanced when examined on the 1st April. They were set aside in 
a small jar to hatch, and the free embryos were found swimming 
about in the jar when examined again on the Gth April, but they 
died by the 13th. 
Whiting, about 15. These were hatched likewise in small jars. 
Motella mustela, numerous. 
Several eggs measuring -992, with transparent homogeneous 
yolk, pigment in black isolated spots along the dorsal and middle 
aspect of the tail, the dorsal line extending to the head, the mid- 
ventral one passing on to the side of the body, without an oil globule, 
I take to be those of the poor cod ( Gadus minutus). 
Again, on the 13th April, through the kindness of the skipper of 
the “ Livingstone,” we received the tow-netting products obtained 
on the previous day. The steamer was going at the time from about 
ten fathoms off Newbiggin south as far as opposite Cambois Pit. 
There were fewer eggs, but they included as before many Motella 
mustela. 
One egg measuring 2-09, without an oil globule, with the egg 
membrane yellowish in colour, with yellow pigment on the embryo 
generally distributed but not intense, with a large porivitclline space, 
appears to he that o ftlie long rough dab ( Hippoglossoid.es limandoides). 
