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Art. IX.' — Gleaning $ of Natural History , gathered on the 
Coast of Scotland during a voyage in 1821. By the Rev. 
John Fleming, D.D., F.R.S.E., M.W.S. &c. (Continued 
from Vol. VIII. p. SOS.) 
In the forenoon of the 6th August we again touched at 
Thurso. In the store-house belonging to the salmon-fishery 
on the east side of the river, we observed a large Pollack, or, as 
it is called on the west coast, where it abounds, Lythe. On the 
east coast it is seldom met with, although at the Isle of May we 
have caught them with a rod in company with the young of the 
cod and coal-fish. Leaving Thurso Bay, our course was now 
directed westward, for the purpose of passing through the Pent- 
land Frith. While abreast of the Whitenhead it was easy to 
discover, from the change which had taken place in the shape 
of the cliffs, and their manner of decomposition, that we had 
passed the limits of the great deposit of sandstone which occurs 
on the east and north of Caithness, and of which the islands of 
Orkney chiefly consist. 
The Salpa monilformis of Dr MacCulloch, who first des- 
cribed and figured the animal, was observed in the evening in 
great abundance. When young, the condition in which they 
were at this time, the individuals adhere laterally in such a man- 
ner as to form chains often of a foot or more in length. Eight 
days after this they appeared in general detached, having at- 
tained their full size, in which they exceed an inch. At each 
extremity of the back there is a conical process, nearly equal to 
the body in length. The anteal process which covers the bran- 
chial orifice, is more produced than the other ; which last ex- 
hibited some appearances of a vascular structure. The stomach 
was of a dark brownish orange , and (as well as the branchial 
band) was distinctly seen through the transparent gelatinous body. 
This species, (which is probably the Salpa maxima of Forskael, 
Descriptiones Animalium , p. 112.), is very abundant in company 
with our Eulimcena quadrangular is in the friths among the 
Hebrides. It is to be hoped that the attention of the naturalists 
of those districts will be directed to the investigation of its his* 
tory, at present very obscure. 
