PROCEEDINGS OP SOCIETIES. 
235 
growth. Experience has proved to me the unsound views advanced of the migra¬ 
tion of fish. Cod, ling, haddock, hake, pollock, and herrings are, throughout the 
year, in the deep water—their proper feeding-grounds bordering the parts of the 
coast, and the bays and estuaries, where they each season approach to spawn. All 
oviparous fish visit the shoaler parts of a coast to spawn, and those periods are now 
the seasons of the fishermen’s harvest. An experimental cruise in 1850 proved the 
correctness of these views. On proper sounding-grounds off the coast, the finest 
ling and cod were taken long after the usual season was over, thus fully bearing 
out the statements thatdiad been made to the late Admiral Sir Thomas Ussher 
and to the Earl of Clarendon. My friend, James Edward Stopford, Esq., in con¬ 
nection with the Royal Irish Fisheries Company, is now on the south-west coast 
working out more extensively these trials. In these inquiries it is difficult to over¬ 
come the prejudices and habits of the coast fishermen : educated only in the know¬ 
ledge of their fathers, they are hostile to any innovation of that knowledge, and, 
therefore, cannot comprehend the views of the practical naturalist, to learn accu¬ 
rately the nature of the soundings, the marine animals, the characteristics of and 
distribution of fish, which all tend to arrive at information so necessary with regard 
to the feeding, the spawning-grounds, and the habits of animals connected with so 
important a branch of resource. In concluding, these observations must only be 
considered general, as it is my intention to enter more minutely into the distinctive 
details that characterize the Salmonidse. I have to regret, however, the absence of 
Mr. Ffennell, whose able assistance would have been valuable on this subject, which 
he had started in the Society and invited it to the discussion. It is a subject also 
that requires the aid of the sound judgment of the practical men of the great Scotch 
fisheries. 
The Chairman said that the salmon-fisheries of Ireland had, for some years past, 
excited great and general interest, yet it was a subject that appeared not to have 
been understood. He vrould be glad to hear any remarks from the members upon 
the statements which Mr. Andrews had submitted. 
Doctor Kinahan in connection with this subject (the spawning of fish) called the 
attention of the Society to recent specimens of the nidus and ova of the smooth¬ 
tailed sticklebat (Gasterosteus leiurus), taken the previous day; and stated—Yes¬ 
terday, when walking along the river Dodder, above Clonskeagh, my attention was 
attracted by what the Norwegians call a “ lek”—z'.e., a number of fish assembled 
at the edge of the pond for spawning purposes. On examination, I was slightly 
surprised at finding that they were my old friends the sticklebat—as on the 23rd 
April, I had taken, at Moorefield, Roebuck, the nidus of this species containing 
ova on the point of bursting. This led me to watch the proceedings, and I had the 
pleasure of witnessing the process of the deposition, and, as I believe, the impreg¬ 
nation of the ova. Among the many u cock” pinkeens anxiously mounting guard 
over their nests, one in especial attracted attention by his movements; instead of 
boring at the upper entrance of the nest, as I formerly described, he would make 
convulsive darts at the edge of the nest, which seemed to me larger than usual; he 
also seemed more tolerant of the presence of intruders than ordinarily is the case. 
The cause soon appeared, as in about three minutes a large female darted out at 
the opposite side of the nest I now show, in which, doubtless, she had been depo¬ 
siting her spawn; the male immediately wriggled himself in, and remained there 
upwards of thirty seconds. He then came out, sailed round the nest, tucking in 
the loose straws with his snout, then swam off to his partner, and, after conducting 
her into deep water, returned to the duty of mounting guard, as I formerly described 
it. Another cock also attracted my attention from the brilliancy of his colours; 
and from observations made on him, I am strongly inclined to think that these 
fish are not polygamous, but monogamous. His occupation was endeavouring to 
persuade a u hen’’ pinkeen to deposit her ova in his nest. The manoeuvres of both 
fish were most amusing. On the whole, it appeared as if he was more courted 
than courting. He would suddenly sail off from her, she would follow, sailing 
round him in circles till she almost touched him, when he would turn and look at 
her, and off they would sail, side by side, towards the nest. On approaching this 
he would impatiently dart forward, and poke his nose into the side entrance, as if 
to show what a grand house he had prepared for her; but she would immediately 
