I i NiCr nase ah Hy ny he) 41 ok ! uy ee i it Ay ; Sony ¥ : Pass, RU MOREE fea Car Nik aN SAP ha ae hi aon Bas ag CaN x ee ee, MPH Myre Hay AM ke oe ,, 1 Ue " TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FISHERY BOARD FOR SCOTLAND, Being for the Year 1909. IN THREE PARTS. Part I,—GENERAL REPORT. Part II.—REPORT ON SALMON FISHERIES. Part III.—SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS. PART III.—SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS. Presented to Parliament by Command of this Majesty. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE. To be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from OLIVER & BOYD, TwrrppaLE Court, EDINBURGH; or WYMAN anp SONS, Lrp., Ferrer Lanz, E.C., and 32 ABINGDON STREET, S.W.; or E. PONSONBY, Lrp., 116 Grarron StreEt, DUBLIN. PRINTED BY JAMES HEDDERWICK & SONS LIMITED, At ‘THE Crrizen ” Pruss St. VINcENT PLACE, GLASGOW. OR lr [Cd. 5508.] Price 1s. 8d. CONTENTS. PAGE GENERAL STATEMENT, : . ; . é : ; 5 The Hatching of Plaice, : : 6 Investigations on the Herring isher y of the Firth of Giyds : iG The Influence of Temperature on the Development of the Eggs of the Herring, : 3 ; 8 The Food of the Halibut, 9 Diseases of Fishes, : : : 9 Abnormal and Diseased Conaiwene of ane : : : 10 Parasites of Fishes, . ; , : f : ; 10 ue: WA IV. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. . Report on Larval and Later Stages of Certain Decapod Crustacea (with Five Plates). By H. Chas. Williamson, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S.E., Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen. Issued separately as Stationery Office Publication, price 2s. 3d. Report on the Operations at the Marine Fish Hatchery, Bay of Nigg, Aberdeen, in 1909. By Dr. T. ems eae F.R.S.E., Scientific Superintendent, : ; 11 Experiment in Retarding the Development of the Eggs of the Herring. By H. Chas. Williamson, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S.E., Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen. (PlateI.) . : : 16 On the Food of the Halibut, with Notes on the Food of Scorpena, Phycis Blennoides, the Garpike, and Chimera monstrosa. By Thomas Scott, LL.D., F.L.S., é : : : 24 . Bacteriological Investigation as to the Cause of an Outbreak of Disease amongst the Fish at the Marine Laboratory, Bay of Nigg, Aberdeen. By A. G. ae eTeen, Mee nace BE Bs MM. Ass 372 * 38 VI.—Notes on the Epes of the Angler (Lophius piscatorius), Halibut (Hippoglossus vulgaris), Conger Vulgaris, and Tusk (Brosmius brosme); a Young Aynoglossus, sp.; Abnormalities in Lophius, Gadus, Raia; Diseases in Gadus, Pleuronectes, Onos, Zoarces; Occurrence of Himantolophus rheinhai cdti, and Clupea pilchar dus ; the Effectiveness of a Seine-Trawl in a Small Pond. By H. Chas. Williamson, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S E., Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen. (Plates T.-Vi ie 46 The Eggs and Larve of the Angler (Luphius piscatorius), . 46 The Ripe Eggs of the Halibut (Hippoglossus sie ch) abe Be 48 The Eggs of the Conger (Conger vulgaris), , 48 The Eggs of the Tusk (Brosmius brosme), . : : 50 4 Contents. PAGE A Post-larval Arnoglossus, : : 51 A Rare Angler (Himantolophus rheinhardti), A : 51 An Angler- ish with One Eye, : : 53 Hermaphroditism in the Cod (Gadus callar ey ; : 54 A Peculiar Cod from Loch Fyne, . ; : 55 Stone in the Bladder of aCod,_ : 5 56 Cod Bitten by a oper Mollusc Uys : ; : 56 Injured Cod, : ‘ 3 57 Tumours from the Cod, . ‘ 57 Tumours on a Lemon Sole (Plewr onectes microcephalus), : 59 Disease on the Skin of Onos mustela, ‘ : J 59 Tumours in a Zoarces viviparus, . 59 Spotted Whiting (Gadus merlangus), Cod, and | Lythe (Gadus pollachius), 59 Nematodes in the Muscle of a Cod, 61 Sandeels Anvmodytes, sp.) and an Hermit Crab ieupadn us bernhardus) encysted in the Abnormal Cavity of the Haddock (Gadus eglefinus), Cod, and Saithe Boe virens), 62 Abnormal Roe of an | Haddock, : : ; 64 Abnormal Skate (Raia circularis and clavata), , : 64 On the Effectiveness of a Seine-trawl ina Small Pond, . 65 Explanation of Letters used and Plates, . : 3 65 VII. Notes on Some Trematode Parasites of Fishes. By Thomas Scott, GD. EGS, (Plates Vil; Vili): : ; 5 68 VIII. A Description of the Advanced Embryonic Stage of Lamna cornubica. By Hdward W. Shann, B.Sc., Gatty Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews. (Plate IX.) : ‘ : foe TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LOBD.;:PENTLAN D, His Majesty's Secretary for Scotland. Orrick oF THE FisHEeRY BoaRD FOR SCOTLAND, EpinpureH, 15th December, 1910. _ May ir PLease Your Lorpsuip, In continuation of our Twenty-eighth Annual Report we have the honour to submit— PART IIL—SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS. GENERAL STATEMENT. This part of the Twenty-eighth Annual Report deals with the scientific investigations which have been conducted by the Board in 1909 in connection with the sea fisheries of Scotland, so far as they have been completed, by means of the Parliamentary Vote granted for the purpose. The scientific work has, as usual, been carried out under the supervision of Dr. T. Wemyss Fulton, the Scientific Superintendent under the Board, the researches having been undertaken chiefly at the Board’s Marine Laboratory, Bay of Nigg, Aberdeen, and partly in the Clyde, in connection more particularly with the herring fishery there. The hatchery for sea fishes is also situated at the Bay of Nigg, Aberdeen, and a statement of the work done at it dur- ing the year will be found below. As was explained in previous Reports, the investigations into the condition of the fishing-grounds in the Moray Firth and Aberdeen Bay, which were conducted for a number of years by means of com- mercial steam trawlers engaged for the purpose, have not been con- tinued, for reasons formerly stated; but the statistics of the catches of line fishermen within the Moray Firth are regularly collected, and the old trawling stations of the “Garland” are now being periodically examined with a beam-trawl by the “Goldseeker,” and a report dealing with the investigations is in course of preparation. 6 Part [11.—Twenty-eighth Annual Report In the Firth of Clyde, and in particular in Loch Fyne, the investi- gation into the herring fishery which has been in progress for the last few years was continued, and observations on the tempera- ture of the water and the relative abundance of plankton were made as frequently and regularly as circumstances allowed. This subject is dealt with more fully below. Among the researches in progress, but not yet completed, may be mentioned the relation between the salmon fishery and the herring fishery in Loch Fyne, the destruction of immature herrings by sea birds, and the reproduction of fishes. THE HATCHING OF PLAICE. During the season of 1909 the hatching-work was continued at the Bay of Nigg as in previous years. The methods employed have been fully described in some previous Reports, the essential features being the retention of the adult fishes in a large tidal pond, where the eggs are shed and fertilised in a natural way during the spawning season; the collection of the floating eggs from the pond and their transference to the hatching apparatus, where also the larval fishes are kept for some time after hatching occurs. In the course of the previous autumn considerable numbers of live plaice were obtained by the “ Goldseeker” in the Moray Firth and added to the stock already existing in the spawning pond. In con- sequence of the increased supply of spawners, the number of eggs collected in the course of the season was larger than in the previous year, amounting to about 19,749,000, as compared with 15,332,000 in 1908—the increase thus being about 4,417,000. The first eggs were collected on 21st January, and collections were made thereafter almost daily till 26th May, when a few thousands were obtained. The spawning in the pond thus extended over eighteen weeks, but, as usual, by far the greater proportion of the eggs were shed in March, and particularly just after the middle of the month. The number of eggs obtained in each month of the season, and the percentages, were as follows :— Number of Eggs. Percentage. January, - - - - 87,000 0-44. February, 2 . - 2,890,000 14:6 March, - - - - 10,860,000 55:0 April, - - - - 5,387,000 27:2 May, ~ - - ~ 525,000 26 The number of dead eggs which were removed from the hatching apparatus was estimated at 3,134,000, or a little under 16 per cent., which is a lower proportion than usual. The specific gravity of the water during the season varied from 26°2 to 27°4, and the tempera- ture from 2°6° C. to 114° C. The number of living fry of the plaice obtained from the hatching apparatus in the course of the season was estimated at about 16,615,000, as compared with 12,296,000 in the previous year—an increase of 4,319,000. They were liberated in the sea in nine lots, between 25th February and 12th June. About half of them were of the Fishery Board for Scotland. is taken to the waters off the northern part of the coast of Aberdeen- shire and liberated in the neighbourhood of Fraserburgh, while the remainder were liberated in the waters of Aberdeen Bay and off Girdleness. It is satisfactory to be able to state that the hatching operations are much appreciated by the fishermen along the coast of Aberdeenshire. Petitions on their behalf for the liberation of the fry have been received from many of the fishing villages from Rose- hearty to Newburgh, and these have as far as possible been given effect. to. The number of the eggs of the plaice collected from the spawning pond, and the number of fry hatched out and liberated in the sea, since the hatchery was established at the Bay of Nigg, are as follows :— Year. Eggs Collected. Fry Liberated. OOO) ci) 43,290,000 31,305,000 aS Oil, {::, ; 65,377,000 51,800,000 1902) >: 72,410,000 55,700,000 90S. fis 65,940,000 53,600,000 1904. 39,600,000 34,780,000 LOO 46. 40,110,000 24,500,000 SOG. 7,486,000 4,406,000 OORT: 0. 1,627,000 1,282,000 1908) 2.3 ! ; 15,332,000 12,296,000 PIO0toe : 19,749,000 16,615,000 370,921,000 286,284,000 The decrease after 1905 was due to the fact that the services of steam trawlers in the Moray Firth and Aberdeen Bay was then abandoned, large supplies of living plaice for the spawning pond having previously been obtained in this way. It may be added that the cost of the fish-hatching work as carried on at the Bay of Nigg, in conjunction with the laboratory, is small, amounting to an estimated sum of about £80 per annum, representing the extra expenditure for coals, oils, &e., and for occasional assistance. . INVESTIGATIONS ON THE HERRING FISHERY OF THE FIRTH OF CLYDE. Since the latter part of 1904 investigations have been carried on with reference to the herring fishery in the Firth of Clyde, and in Loch Fyne in particular, as far as the means at disposal allowed. These investigations were initiated in consequence of a failure of the fishery in Loch Fyne, a failure which unfortunately still continues. The following figures show the quantity of herrings taken in the loch during the last ven years :—- Herrings > Herrings pats Caught. Bec Caught. 1900, - - 24,743 crans. 1905, - - 4,672 crans. 1901, - 2 ad 1906, - mii. COLAO ag 1902, - =EAOao 3 1907.3 ira ee alas 1903, SoA ELIS «5, ISU - 4,070 ,,. 1904, -"> Capen aot: p NOOU, = co o,ce aie 8 Fart 110.—Twenty-eighth Annual Repor The statistics of the Loch Fyne herring fishery extend back to the year 1854, and only in one year in that period was the quantity of herrings caught less than in 1909, and then only by a few crans— namely, in 1873, when 3,648 crans were landed. The poor results _ of the fishing in recent years is not equalled in the history of the fishery, so far as known, for in the last great depression there were only three years—1872-1874—when the quantity was less than 10,000 crans. Towards the end of June last year there were indications that a considerable shoal of herrings had entered Lower Loch Fyne, and in the month of July a fair fishing was carried on— the aggregate catch for that month being 2,966 crans, as compared with 3,684 crans for the whole year. The herrings, however, did not penetrate far up the loch, and they very soon left it altogether. Similar and apparently unaccountable fluctuations in the herring fishery, more especially in lochs or arms of the sea, are of not infre- quent occurrence, and have been attributed to various causes; but no explanation that has yet been given can be regarded as altogether satisfactory. Variations in the temperature of the sea and in the quantity of floating food upon which the herring subsists are believed by many to be the principal factors in producing fluctuations in the fishery. The investigations now being made are designed to show whether or not this explanation is the right one. Periodic observations are taken of the temperature of the water and of the abundance of the floating herring-food, and these will be continued until the herrings have returned to Loch Fyne in something like their former abundance. There is no good reason to suppose that the present scarcity will not be followed by years of good fishing, such as have succeeded to the periods of depression in the past. Tue INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EaGas oF THE HERRING. At the request of the Government of New Zealand, a series of experiments on the retardation of the development of the eggs of the herring has been carried on at the Marine Laboratory during the last two seasons. The object of the New Zealand Government is to ascertain whether it is possible to delay the development, and thus the hatching, of the ova of the herring for a period sufficiently prolonged to enable them to be carried to New Zealand and dealt with there—a period which is estimated at about 50 days. In last year’s Report an account of the first series of experiments was given by Dr. H. C. Williamson, the general result being that it was shown to be possible to delay the development of the eggs for the period required, though the great proportion of them died at an earlier date. The main cause of the mortality was deficient aeration of the water, as it was difficult to secure a sufficient flow cooled to the necessary temperature. The further experiments which were made by Dr. Williamson are described in the present Report, other forms of apparatus having been made use of. The cooling of the water was successfully attained and a much more even temperature secured, but the difficulties of the aeration of the water were not overcome, and although a few of the eggs survived for a period of fifty days, none of them hatched. Check experiments with uncooled water showed that of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 9 the mortality was owing, not to the low temperature, but to deficient aeration. At the request of the New Zealand authorities, these experiments are being continued, and it is hoped that it will be possible to devise an apparatus which will enable the difficulties referred to to be surmounted. THE Foop oF THE HALIBUT. An extensive research on the nature of the food of this important fish was made by Dr. Thomas Scott, who contributes a paper to the present Report setting forth the results of the investigation. The stomachs of 1076 halibut were examined, the fish ranging in length from 18 inches to five feet; they were caught at various parts of the North Sea and North Atlantic and landed at Aberdeen. About one- third of the stomachs, or nearly 34 per cent., were found to be empty, or contained food in such a condition that identification of the organisms composing it could not be made. A very considerable proportion of the food of the halibut was shown to consist of fishes, of which twenty species were determined, the most common being the haddock and the whiting, and it was found that the larger halibuts were more prone to a fish diet than the smaller ones. Crustaceans, and in particular the Norwegian lobster (Nephrops) and hermit crabs, were common in many of the stomachs examined, and cuttle-fishes of several species were not infrequent, but echinoderms were sparingly represented, and annelids hardly at all. DISEASES OF FISHES. The subject of the diseases to which fishes are hable is now receiving more attention than was the case previously. In the present Report, Dr. A. G. Anderson, now the Medical Officer of Health of Rochdale, describes a bacteriological investigation which he made of an outbreak of disease among the fishes at the Marine Laboratory. Some haddocks and whitings which were caught in the neighbourhood of a sewer were conveyed to the Laboratory to replenish the tanks, and a few of them were observed to have small ulcerations on the skin. Within a few days the healthy fish which were previously in the tank became affected in like manner, and shortly afterwards they all died. The outflow from those tanks was into the large pond, in which live plaice were con- tained, and later on a number of these fish became also affected and subsequently died. The bacteriological investigations made at Marischal College by Dr. Anderson revealed the presence of various bacteria, including bacillus coli communis, which made it probable that the fish had died from a form of septiceemic poisoning, possibly caused by infection from the sewage-borne micro-organisms. A few years ago a similar outbreak of disease was observed to have occurred among the fishes in the pond at the Marine Laboratory, Port Erin. It appears that marine fishes are not so susceptible to microbal attacks as are fresh-water fishes, and that amongst the former flat- fishes are less susceptible than round fishes, as haddocks and whitings. The evidence, moreover, indicates that fish do not suffer readily from 10 Part IT] —-Twenty-eighth Annual Report the ingestion of bacteria, nor from the presence of sewage in the water, so long as the gills are not clogged; but, on the other hand, such outbreaks of disease are of some significance to Health Authori- ties in whose sanitary areas sewage is being deposited in rivers, estuaries, or on the seashore. ABNORMAL AND DISEASED CONDITIONS OF FISHES. Dr. Williamson contributes a paper to this Report, in which he describes various abnormalities and diseased conditions which he has observed among fishes, such as tumours in the cod, the lemon dab, the viviparous blenny, and other forms, and also cases of hermaphrodi- tism in the cod, a species in which that condition is not uncommon. He also describes and figures the larvee of the angler (Lophius), and gives an account of its eggs and those of the halibut, the conger, and the tusk. The ripe egg of the conger has not yet been identified with certainty: the largest yolked eggs observed by Dr. Williamson were 0-6 millimetres in diameter, and were found in fishes captured at the end of October and the beginning of November. The same gentleman has also written a paper, illustrated with five plates, describing the larval stages of various species of crabs. The study of these larvee is important with reference to the general question of development and the discrimination of the forms which go to make up the plankton. This paper is not included in the present Report, but is published separately as a Stationery Office publication. PARASITES OF FISHES. Several papers dealing with the parasites of fishes have appeared in previous Reports of the Board, and to the present one Dr. 'T’. Scott contributes a description, illustrated with two plates, of four parasitic trematodes, one of which is now described for the first time. One of them was obtained from the gills of the gar-fish, and the others from the non-edible Chimera monstrosa. We have the honour to be, Your Lordship’s most obedient Servants, ANGUS SUTHERLAND, Chairman. D. CRAWFORD, Deputy-Chairman. D’ARCY W. THOMPSON. Wek DUGULD. L. MILLOY. D. MEARNS. H. WATSON. DAVID T. JONES, Secretary. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. I.—REPORT ON LARVAL AND LATER STAGES OF CERTAIN DECAPOD CRUSTACEA (wire Five Puatss). By H. Cuas. Wituramson, M.A., D.8c., F.R.S.E., Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen. Issued separately as Stationery Office Publication, price 2s. 3d. 1I.—REPORT ON THE OPERATIONS AT THE MARINE FISH HATCHERY, BAY OF NIGG, ABERDEEN, 1n 1909. By Dr. T. Wemyss Fuuton, F.R.S.E., Scientific Superintendent. In the course of the autumn of 1908 several hundreds of live plaice were added to the stock of adults in the spawning-pond, the fish having been caught by the Fishery Investigation steamer Goldseeker in the Moray Firth and brought to Aberdeen. The mortality among these fishes, owing often to the rough passage from the fishing-grounds, was sometimes considerable after they had been placed in the pond, and, as the fact is not without importance with reference to the methods adopted in the “marking experiments ” (to ascertain the migrations of fishes), it may be mentioned that of 193 placed in the pond on 12th September, 55 had died before the 29th of that month, and of 267 put in on 23rd October, 30 had succumbed by the next day, and other 36 within a week. In consequence of the increased supplies of spawners, the number of eggs collected from the spawning-pond in the course of the season was larger than in the previous year, amounting to about 19,749,000, as compared with 15,332,000 in 1908, the increase thus being about 4,417,000. The first eggs were collected on 21st January, which is about the usual time for them to appear, and collections were made thereafter almost daily until 26th May, when a few thousands were obtained. The spawning of the plaice thus extended over eighteen weeks, but, as usual, by far the greater proportion of the eggs were shed in March, and particularly just after the middle of the month. It will be observed from the appended table that the spawning was considerable at the end of February, when the temperature of the water was unusually high for the season, and that it was checked later when the temperature fell several degrees lower. The numbers of eggs obtained in each month of the season, and the percentages, are given in the subjoined table :— Number of Eggs. Per- een. Collected. centage. January. . is ee 87,000 0-44 © February + ae 2,890,000 14:6 March .. a ap 10,860,000 55:0 Apnl se me .. 5,387,000 27°2 May. ..- ee #8 525,000 2°6 19,749,000 The number of dead eggs which were removed from the hatching apparatus (including, however, the shells of those which had hatched) was estimated at 3,134,000, or a little under 16 per cent., which is a very low B 12 Part LI —Twenty-eighth Annual Report proportion, attributable for the most part to a fuller supply of water and better filtering arrangements, and to the utilisation of the filtered water again during the occurrence of storms, as described in last report. The number of living fry obtained in the course of the season was estimated at about 16,615,000, as compared with 12,296,000 in the previous year. They were put out into the sea in nine lots, the first on the 25th February, and the last on the 12th June, as described in Table II. appended. About half of the fry were taken to the northern part of the coast of Aberdeenshire and liberated off Sandhaven, near Fraserburgh, Mr. W. J. Caird, of Sandhaven, kindly rendering much assistance in making the arrangements. The remainder were liberated off Aberdeen Bay and Girdleness. The fishermen on the coast of Aberdeenshire have petitioned on several occasions for fry to be “ planted” in the locality of their fishing grounds, requests of the kind having been received from many of the villages from Rosehearty to Cruden. Their plaice-fishing has recently been very much better than it was before, and they attribute the improvement to the planting of the fry along the coast during the last five or six years. In such cases it is not an easy matter to obtain convincing evidence, but inquiries at other parts of the coast show that the plaice-fishing had not improved in the same way at other localities, and from the results of the extensive experiments carried on for thirteen years in Lochfyne, and described in the Annual Report for 1907, it is quite likely the fishermen are right in their opinion, namely, that their increased catch of plaice is due to the operations of the hatchery. The number of the eggs of the plaice collected from the spawning-pond, and the number of the fry hatched out and liberated in the sea, in the various years since the hatchery was established at the Bay of Nigg, are as follows :— _ Eggs Collected. Fry Produced. 1900 43,290,000 31,305,000 1901 65,377,000 51,800,000 1902 72,410,000 55,700,000 1903 65,940,000 53,600,000 1904 39,600,009 34,780,000 1905 40,110,000 24,500,000 1906 7,486,000 4,406,000 1907 1,627,000 1,282,000 1908 15,332,000 12,296,000 1909 19,749,000 16,615,000 370,921,000 236,284,000 Tt will be seen that, although the numbers in the last two years are greater than they were in 1906 and 1907, they fall far short of what they were a few years earlier, when large supplies of adult fish were being obtained by means of the trawlers whose services were secured for work in the Moray Firth. Tt has to be added that the cost of the fish-hatching work as carried on at the Bay of Nigg, in combination with the Marine Laboratory, is comparatively small, amounting to about £80 per annum, so far as it can be estimated, the amount representing extra coals, oils, etc., food for the fishes, and occasional assistance to the attendant. The appended Tables show the progress at the hatchery from day to day ; the temperature and specific gravity of the water on the beach, in the pond, and in the hatching apparatus ; and also the particulars referring to the liberation of the fry ;—- . of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 13 Taste I.—Showing the Daily Progress at the Hatchery, and the Tempera- ture and Specific Gravity of the Water. * BEACH. Ponp. BOE ie Eggs | Dead Eggs as * | Collected. | Removed. |, : a emp. | Specific] Temp. | Specific} Temp. °C. |Gravity.| °C. | Gravity. nC 1909. Jan. 21 6:6 274 | 4:0 | 27-4 6:0 22 } = { 66 | 97-4) 3:8 | 97-41 60 SE) AS “a 7:0 274 | 42 27-4 56 Pa oe 15) 10,000 aa 5:0 204 | 28 27a 3°4 2G 27,000 54 | 27-2 30 | 27:2 3'8 evs 10,000 4-8 | 27:2 2° 6. OO 3'8 ade tel 10,000 a 5A | 27:2 2°6 27:2 3-2 foe 9) 20,000 as D4 | 27-2 24 | 27:2 4-0) aes) ee i: 4-2 27°4 1D | 27:4 3°0 Feb. 1 40,000 ae 4-8 | 27-4 IG. A) A2"e2 2°6 eed Dh 10,000 - a0 | 27:2 DO An Deed 2°8 ae lie x. ee 5-2 27-2 4:2 27°2 50 Sg ue 10,000 20,000 a0 | 274 |. 32 27°4 46 Set ELE) 13,000 a! 5°2 27°4 3°2 27°2 4-4. are 6 10,000 OO 202 2S aad 4-0 PRM | 30,000 OO 24) 42 | yore 4:8 seh ao) 10,000 66 | 27-2 4-2 | 27-4 5:0 ear!) 10,000 oe 6:0 | 27:2 4:0 | 27-2 5:0 Sra 27,000 20,000 G2 | 27:4 |) 46 1) 27-4 56 » 12} 20,000 i BA | 27-2] 42 | 272) 5:0 | wits 10,000 G4 | 2rA). 50 24 6'8 rae) 20,000 58 | 27:2 54 | 27:2 6:0 ao 20,000 CGe 27°40). GOa 274 6°6 okt ty £60000 70 | 27:4 66 | 27-4 6°8 = tS | 1005000 8:0 Zh Ae GeO MO DGee 6'8 Set) E20;000 ee POT ACA 7-0 Lie arc 6°8 » 20] 160,000 80,000 So 2G4 | GS Wore 7:0 » 22 | 240,000 es TOY |) 2a POR We aiee 02 » 23 | 240,000 Ae 20:4-| 66 27°4 7:0 », 24 | 320,000 oF (Os) 20-4. | > 56 27°4 6°8 » 25 | 400,000 100,000 66 | 274] 5-6 27°4 7:0 » 26 | 440,000 bb (4.0 27-4.) 6:00) Q2e4 72 » 27 | 480,000 6:2 27-4 | 54 | 27-4 7:0 Mar. 1 | 480,000 itt G4) 27:4 | 46 )) 244 6°8 .» 2 | 400,000 200,000 6:2 274 | 46 | 27-2 7:0 » 3 | 480,000 se GO | 27-4) 30 | -27-2 7:0 » 4 | 860,000 8 | 2a) 4-0") 27-2 6°6 » 9 | 240,000 POU) 24 AON Br) 6°6 » 6 | 280,000 er. 5'6 20°2 | 49 27°2 4°2 » 8 | 360,000 120,000 40 | 27-2 3°8 | 27:2 6:0 » 9 | 320,000 BA 5:0 | 26:8 Pp a et (2) 3°4 , 10} 320,000 Se 2-081; 26°6) |) 2-6 27-0 3°0 a aL 4), 3203000 80,900 48 | 26:6 3°6 27°0 38 » 12 | 320,000 = 5-2 | 274) 3:6 27:0 46 . 13] 480,000 aS 4-2 | 27-4 | 3:2 | 27-2 4-0 , 15 | 600,000 100,000 BO 20h) Bro) age 34 ———————————————————eeeEeeeEeEeSeEeEeEeEeeeEeEeEeEeeSeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeeeEeSeEeEeEeeSeSeESESeEeSeSsesSsHSsesese Ponp. Temp. ° (CE He HR Oo HR OD HR OD LD BO CON OCOWOOnN f ® — Specific Gravity. bS po DO bb LS bo bo hb b ps eC Weta clear! = DD HE bd bbb bo bo 14 Part IIT.— Twenty-eighth Annual Report TaBLeE J.—continued. BEAcH. Eggs Dead Eggs Ue Collested. Renee: ae Temp. | Specific °C. | Gravity. 1909. Mar. 16 | 480,000 160,000 BO Hl, 2e2 » 17 | 480,000 p: Bie | 22 » 18} 400,000 120,000 AB | 27-4 » 9 | 480,000 . AES 1 278. » 20 | 480,000 Ae AG | 27-2 », 22 | 400,000 187,000 4:2 | 27-4 » 23 | 440,000 Sf 46 | 27:4 » 24 | 400,000 ¢ BAO PAreoas » 25 | 480,000 120,000 G:Oes ree » 26 | 360,000 ie 6002-2 » 21 | 320,000 120,000 Solap pe rcs 5, 29 | 420,000 Se 6:0 | 27:2 ,, 30 | 440,000 200,000 Gib) 2i0. Wall 6320000 te 50°) Bie April 1 | 360,000 ai 6:0 | 27:2 ete | £280,000 180,000 66 | 27-0 eno) | ee 0,000 &: Gra ye 20 A api | va20s000 120,000 OFS F202, » 6 | 400,000 160,000 G6 27-0 ea! €2803000 a 66 | 27:2 » 8 | 240,000 23 Oe ares » 9 | 240,000 107,000 6-4 | 27-4 » 10 | 260,000 ht TO qaeene2 », 12 | 240,000 120,000 6:6. | 27-0 , 13 | 240,000 160,000 5:07 5 2628 5 L4 | 200,000 ve (56) W222 | PLeOrO00 80,000 8:00) 22 » 16 | 160,000 bs: 6°6 | 27-4 eld) PLSO.O00 80,000 TO | 27:4 By tele |) Bloos000 Jy 8:0 | 27-4 » 20 | 160,000 fis W264i) Qie2 » 21 | 160,000 100,000 TA) Ogee » 22 | 160,000 de 6:2 1 27-0 ae: | | LEOO00 120,000 120° 5) 22638 » 24 | 107,000 Ji ‘aoe 20) » 26-| 200,000 80,000 5:8 | 27:0 » 20 | 160,000 40,000 6:0 | 26:8 Ae 60,000 40,000 6:2 | 27:0 Paper) 80,000 he 64 | 27:2 45. (80 80,000 FA) O02 May 1 40,000 5:8 27°2 S38 WS 3) Se G2 | 27:2 » 4 | 120,000 AS in 22 Paps) 3) 40,000 4, 6:8 | 27-2 ap HO 40,000 80,000 (2 Qe on fat 40,000 Je 82 | 26:8 8 40,000 SO eo) CSSA) TAP SSUES GSI SIC ONC CUS Hist Pe WIE eg ISR I ee Ad ha ROROCNOAREAOCHODOSSSCSCODHERAGAOANS OOIIINADADHAD HAHAHA AIABDADADANM AMAT TT TUN TH 09 9 PODOCKRBROCONKRKRSCSOSKRSCSCDDSSENWNKEAABDDDNORCSCSOBBDNNODOSCON AS of the Fishery Board for Scotiand. TABLE I.—continued. : Eggs Dead Eggs Date, Collected. Renal : 1909. May 10 20,000 a Svea ia! 20,000 20,000 Oat 5,000 wo, Ld oe at bd 40,000 ie LD 20,000 - Berle 20,000 5,000 Higa ls) 20,000 a0 aly) 10,000 oe aed) 15,000 5,000 teeth 10,000 is See - a. » 24 10,000 10,000 oy 5,000 eels 10,000 yp) 27 BEACH. Temp. | Specific “C Gravity. 88 26°8 9:0 24:0 86 25°4 8:0 26-0 6:6 26°6 6°6 27:2 78 27:0 7:0 27-2 74 27:2 8°4 27°0 8:4 27°2 10:0 27:2 10°4 26°8 8:4 26'°8 8:4 27°0 8:4 27°4 Temp. ° Cc Ponp. Specific Gravity. | | ) bD BD bD DD bD DO DD bd bo TATA AI AAAI IO AID JOA 6 tse oo Fe ee ee ot Se red DLONAKROCOCOARNOARAOSG a 15 Harcu- ERY. Temp. . 2: above. b] 3°) 7 bh) ” 95 ,, 13. Abnormal urinary bladder of Gadus callarias. », 14. Post-larval Arnoglossus, sp., 9 mm. long. . Lophius piscatorius, 55 mm., tow-net, Loch Fyne. », 16. Enlarged drawing of anterior end of Arnoglossus, . Stone from urinary bladder of Gadus callarias. . Normal ae 3 99 12th September 1899. 28th July 1899. sp. Vide fig. 14, - "Nat. size. Vide fig. 13. 56 Reduced. PLATE III. Fre, 19. Abnormal (?) Cod from Loch Fyne, Spring 1909. 32 inches (82 cm.) long. », 20. Drawing of cyst in dorsal muscle of Gadus callarias containing a nematode. . Himantolophus reinhardtii, from above. ,, 24. Spotted Gadus merlangus, 124 inches (32 em.) long. Drawing of cyst in muscle of Gadus callarias, containing nematode. : Himantolophus reinhardtw, side view. . Patella-scute of Himantolophus reinhardtii. x 4. Nat size. Lophius piscatorius, Hippoglossus vulgaris, Gadus callarias, Arnoglossus sp. -* r .’ . - “tX 7 iP ee te ee * * PLATE Ill. Himantolophus veinhardtii: Gadus merlangus, Gadus callarias. Zoarces viviparus, Raia circularis. <_ gE ee Rae a Lf |} } oo Non-Ov-_2 ae ~ < a a Se See = = aS es aoc ee eee Se Se ees = > ¥ x = . > [et ase Pe eee eee ee of the Fishery Board for Scotland. . 67 29. Section through a scar on the shoulder of a Gadus callarias. 30. Enlarged drawing of black spots (cysts) showing through four scales. Gadus merlangus. 31. Cyst in the muscles of Gadus callarias which contained a nematode. 32. Enlarged drawing of one of the black spots (cysts) in the skin of Gadus merlangus. 33. Section of the skin of Gadus merlangus to show the situation of the black cyst. 34. Shoulder of Gadus callarias, with scars probably caused by Cephalopod Mollusc, PLATE IV. 35. Abdomen of Gadus callarzas with encysted sand-eel. 36. Zoarces viviparus, ventral view enlarged. 37. Abnormal Raia circularis. Reduced a little. 38. Gadus ceglefinus, wall of abdomen with encysted sand-eel. 39. »” ” 9 ” ” oy) 4 ~ a rr a3 sand-eels. 41. Gadus callarias, without a tail; hind end. About nat. size. 42. Branchiostegal ray of a Gadus callarias having upon it a growth of Zoophytes. 43. Zources viviparus, 114 inches (29 cm.) long, having tumours in its body. Dorsal view. 44, Gadus callarias, with sand-eel in the abdominal cavity. PLATE V. . 45. Tumour from abdominal cavity of a Gadus callarias. Reduced. 46. Nematode encysted in abdominal cavity of Gadus callarias. Enlarged. 47. Hupagurus bernhardus in abdominal cavity.of Gadus callarias. 48. Nematode encysted in abdominal cavity of Gadus callarias. About nat. size. 49. Abnormal Raia clavata. Reduced. 49a. 2 ”» oP) ’ 50. Enlarged drawing of muscles at angle of cleft in anterior region of abnormal - Raia clavata. Cp. fig. 49. 51. Egg of Brosmius brosme. Enlarged. 514. Abnormal ovary of Haddock, p. 5 52. Interior of tumour found in the abdominal cavity of Gadus callarias. Cp. fig. 45. 53. Plan of pond at Laboratory. Scale, 1 mm.-—1 foot. PRAT EWE 54. Hermaphrodite reproductive organ of Cod (Gadus callarias). 55. Section through the wall of ovary at junction of right and left ovaries. Hermaphrodite cod (fig. 59). 56. Scale from outside of tumour of Pleuronectes microcephalus. 57. Tumour on outside wall of stomach of Gadus callarias. 58. Longitudinal section of tumour on tail of Gadus callarias (fig. 61). 59. Hermaphrodite reproductive organ of Gadus callarias. 60. Section of wall of ovary of preceding (fig. 59), showing lacune. 61. Tumour on tail of Gadus callarias. x t. 62. Tubules on surface of frill from tumour shown in fig. 61. 63. Inside surface of stomach. The dotted line indicates the position of the tumour (fig. 57). 64. Section through vasa deferentia and vein of anterior testis (fig. 59). 65. Surface view enlarged of part of tumour (fig. 61). 66. Pleuronectes microcephalus, with tumours on the skin. is 67. Section through the mesenteries and vasa deferntia connecting the hind testis to the ovary (fig. 59). 68. Side view of ovary and hind testis (fig. 59). i 69. Section through tumour on skin of Pleuronectes microcephalus. 70. Semi-diagrammatic section of wall of ovary showing chamhers in it (fig. 59) 71. Section through stalk connecting the testis to ovary (fig. 54). 68 Part II. —Twenty-eighth Annual Report VII.—-NOTES ON SOME TREMATODE PARASITES OF FISHES. By Tuomas Scort, LL.D., F.L.S. (Plates, Vou; AVE) One or two papers on parasitic Trematodes of fishes have already appeared in Part III. of the Annual Reports of the Fishery Board for Scotland, published in previous years. In the present paper four species, in addition to those previously published, are recorded, one of which appears to be undescribed.* TREMATODA. — Fam. TRISTOMATID2. Genus Callicotyle, Diesing (1850). | Cuaracter.—Body thin, tolerably expanded; posterior sucker discoidal, nearly sessile, and provided with seven rays and two spines; the mouth without suckers. Callicotyle affinis, new species. Pl. VIL, fig. 1. The Trematode recorded here has a close resemblance to Callicotyle kréyert, Diesing, found on various kinds of skates (Raia clavata, radiata, and batis), but one or two obvious differences prevent its inclusion in the same species, and as I do not know of any other to which it van be ascribed, the name Callicotyle affinis may be given to it. It differs from Cailicotyle kroyeri in size, being nearly one and a half times longer ; in shape it is broadly ovate, and the greatest width, which is near the middle, is equal to rather less than half the length; the width of the posterior half does not vary much, but the anterior half becomes gradually narrower towards the bluntly rounded apex. The posterior sucker is transversely broadly ovate, the width exceeding the length by about one-fifth; the anterior margin is broadly and evenly rounded, but the margin opposite is flattened and somewhat sinuate. Interiorly this sucker has, like that of Callicotyle kréyeri, seven submarginal compartments and a central one; the lowermost of the seven compartments is in the middle line, and has on each side a slightly curved tooth; the centre compartment is not round as it is in Callicotyle kriéyeri, but trans- versely narrow. There are apparently no suckers at the anterior end, and in this respect it also agrees with Callicotyle kréyeri. The length of the specimen represented by the drawing (fig. 1) is 9 mm. Habitat.—Parasitic on the gills of Chimera monstrosa, Linné, captured in the North Sea, January 1910. Apparently rare. Fam. PoLystoMaATID&. Posterior suckers more or less numerous. Genus Octobothrium, Leuckart (1828). Trematodes provided with eight posterior suckers and usually with a small one on each side of the mouth at the anterior end. “I am indebted to my colleague, Dr. Williamson, for the privilege of examining the fishes on which the organisms recorded here were obtained, and to my son, Andrew Scott, A.L.8., for the drawings and photographs. of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 69 Octobothrium leptogaster, Leuckart. Pl. VIL, figs. 2-5. 1842. Octobothriwm leptogaster, Leuckart, Zool, Bruchst., vol. 1i1., Pa 20; Plead tier PL TI,, fie. 2. In this species the posterior end is considerably expanded, and the eight suckers, which are moderately large, are situated at the ends of short finger-like processes which are spread out in the form of a fan. The body is extremely slender, especially the posterior portion extending from the fan-like expansion with its eight suckers, forward to the anterior thickened genital portion. This slender portion, which seems to have suggested the specific name, is much longer and more flexible than the anterior thickened part; along both sides of the thickened portion extends the vitelline gland in the form of two dusky longitudinal bands; the mouth, in the form of a narrow oval slit, is situated on the ventral surface near the anterior extremity. The pair of anterior suckers—one on each side of the mouth— observed in some species of Octobothrium, were apparently absent in Octobothrium leptogaster. The posterior suckers (or bothria) are transversely and broadly ovate, the width being nearly equal to one and a half times the length ; they are each furnished with about five spines: one springs from the anterior margin and, extending across the middle, divides the sucker into two nearly equal parts; the others are lateral and occur in pairs—two on each side; the smaller spine is nearly straight, but the larger is incurved and hook-like. The eggs are of an oval shape, widest in the middle; width equal to about half the length, horn-coloured, and semi-transparent ; length about 0:2 mm.; one end is produced into a short beak from which springs an exceedingly long and extremely slender colourless filament; the other end is without an appendage of any kind. The entire length of the specimen represented by the drawing is 39 mm. The neck and body are marked by numerous faint transverse lines. Habitat.—Parasitic on the gills of Chimera monstrosa captured in the North Sea in January, 1910; apparently not very rare. Genus Awine, Abildgaard, 1795(4). In this genus the posterior suckers are small and numerous. Axine bellones, Abildgaard. Pl. VII., figs. 6-7. 1794. Amine bellones, Abild., Skift. af Naturhist. Selskab., t. ili., p. 59, tab. vi., figs. 3a, b. 1836. Heteracanthus pedatus et sagittatus, Diesing, Nov. Act. Nat. Cur., vol. xviii. i., p. 310, tab, xvii. 1850. Amine bellones, Diesing, Syst. Helminth, vol. i, p. 425. 1858. Amine bellones, P.-J. van Ben., Bull. de Acad. Roy. de Belg., vol. xxiii. 1858. Amine bellones, P.-J. van Ben., Acad. des Sci., Suppl. aux Comptes rendus, t. ii., p. 53. 1863. Amine orphit, P.-J. van Ben. and Hesse, Rech. sur la Bdellodes ou Herudinées et les Trématodes, p. 116, Pl. xii., figs. 19-27. Body flat, thin, elongated; anterior extremity very attenuated, but becoming gradually wider towards the posterior end; posterior extremity expanded so as to assume the form of a hatchet (“hache”). The anterior end has the apex pointed, but it may also by contraction become emarginate (fig. 7). The mouth opening is denticulated and provided with two lateral, oval, and denticulated suckers. The genital aperture is of medium size and furnished with fasicles of minute teeth or hooks arranged partly vertical 70 Part IIT.—Twenty-cighth Annual Report aud lateral. The posterior suckers, which are small and of an oval form, are each armed with four hooks, and each sucker appears to be divided into two nearly equal parts. The suckers seem to be supported on minute prominences and crowded together along the edge of the expanded membranous border which terminates the posterior end of the body. The number of suckers on the specimen represented by the drawing (fig. 6) is fifty-two. According to van Beneden, the suckers are mobile and can turn towards or away from each other, and that also by contraction to appear sometimes to be fewer in number and sometimes more numerous. Along the middle of the body and at» the posterior extremity the colour is yellowish-white, while along each side is a dusky-coloured border. The length of the specimen figured is about 10 mm., but others reach only to 8 or 9 mm., or are even smaller. Habitat.— Parasitic on the gills of the sea pike or Gar-fish, Ramphistoma belones, Linn. (Belones vulgaris, Cuv.); captured in the North Sea about the end of April and beginning of May, 1910; apparently not very rare. Genus Amphiptyches, Grube and Wagener (1852). Amphiptyches urna, Grube and Wagener. PI. VIII. 1852. Amphiptyches wna, G. and W., Miiller’s Archiv (1852). JeNe Saye Several examples, which include some apparently adult as well as others scarcely mature, were obtained in the intestine of specimens of Chimera monstrosa sent to the Laboratory at the Bay of Nigg from the Aberdeen Fish Market in January, 1910. The fish, it is understood, were captured in the North Sea. Amphiptyches differs remarkably in its general appearance from the Entozoa usually met with in the intestines of marine fishes, while on the other hand it has a strong superficial resemblance to certain species of the Nudibranch mollusca. There also appears to have been at first some doubt as to the relationship between these parasites and the fish in which they were observed, The parasite was described by Grube and Wagener in 1852 in Miiller’s Archiv, under the name of Amphiptiches urna. The specimens, along with the shells of Af/actra—a Lamellibranch shellfish—were found in the intestine of Chimera monstrosa captured in the Mediterranean. Diesing, in his Revision der Helminthen, 1858, ascribes this organism to his genus Gyrocotyle, and records it under the name of Gyrocotyle amphiptyches, Gr. and W. In 1859 Dr. Paul Gervais and P.-J. van Beneden, in their work ‘“ Zoologie médicale,” vol. ii. p. 193, after referring, under the sub-order Polycotylares Blainv., to various genera of the Tristomidae, proceed to remark that the g. Amphiptyches found by Grube and Wagener in the intestinal canal of Chimera appeared to be a parasite of that mollusc, and that its position in the fish was that of an erratic—a parasite that had lost its way by being accidentally swallowed by the Chimera.* In a further note, however, on these parasites published in his work on ‘“‘Les Poissons des Cotes de Belgique” in 1870, Professor P.-J. van Beneden remarks that, having studied this singular worm only from specimens pre- served in liquer obligingly communicated to him by G. Wagener, he had some doubt about them being internal parasites of fishes, and adds that, having since procured an adult Chimera captured on the coast of Norway, * Le G. Amphiptyches, trouvé par Grube et G. Wagener dans le canal intestinal de la Chimére avec des coquilles de Mactre, pourrait bien étre un parasite de ce dernier Mollusque, se trouvant 4 ’état erratique dans le poisson qui l’a fourni. Il n’y a en effet aucun autre ver polycotylaire vivant dans le tube digestif. of the Fishery Board for Scotiand. 71 “we had the good fortune to find two Amphiptyches wrna in its intestine, and we now conclude that it is an Nostosite,’* that is, a parasite that has now reached its ultimate destination, and therefore a true parasite of the Chimera. In 1890, in Hist. Nat. des Annelés (coll. des Suites a Buffon), Vol. III, 2nd Part, the author, M. l’Professeur Léon Vaillant, mentions in a foot- note to Gyrocotyle, Diesing (p. 539), that this “must not be confounded with the Amphiptyches, Gr. and \W., the unique species of which A. urna has been wrongly described under the name of Gyrocotyle amphiptyches, W.., this last belonging to a group of Trematodes.” But though A. urna is referred to in the statement just quoted as unique, there appears to be at least another species, A. rugosa, parasitic in a fish found in the South Seas. In the Memoir on Flatworms and Mesozoa by F. W. Gamble, in Vol. II. of the “Cambridge Natural History” (1896), the author not only refers to Amphiptyches urna and A. rugosa, but appears to regard them, not as Trematodes, but as Monozootic Cestodes belonging to a special family, the Cestodaria or Monozoa. The following are that author’s remarks on this interesting point (p. 77) :— “Just as some Coelenterata (Zucernaria) may be regarded as not having advanced much beyond a scyphistoma stage, so there are unsegmental Cestodes (e.g., Archigetes) which have remained as a slightly altered but sexual scolex, directly comparable with a Trematode, and, as all authors are agreed, representing one generation only. Such monozootic forms are now classed as a special family, the Cestodaria or Monozoa of which Caryophylleus mutabilis from the intestine of various Cyprinoid fish is the most abundant representative, while Amphiptyches (Gyrocotyle) urna from Chimera mons- trosa of the Northern hemisphere is paralleled by A. rugosa found in Callorhynchus antarcticus from the Southern seas.” The specimens of Amphiptyches recorded by Grube and Wagener were found associated with the shells of Wactra; the specimens of Chimera from the Fish Market in which the parasites dealt with here were obtained had only a moderate quantity of food in their stomachs, which consisted of various organisms, chiefly small Crustacea, Echinoderms and Aunelids, along with a few small Molluscan shells such as Anomia, Pecten, Cardium, Buccinum, Fusus, Scalaria, all of them small or immature. The parasites varied greatly in size—in length as well as in width. The longer specimens were narrow in proportion and the wider ones shorter. The longer speci- mens, such as that represented by fig. 1, measured fully 30 mm. by 10 mm. in width, while that represented by fig. 3 measured 24 mm. by 15 mm. The specimen represented by fig. 4 appears to be a young form. The specimens have the appearance of being incomplete, or as if they were segments ofa larger form. They all occurred, however, as separate organisms; there was no sign of any being joined to one another, though considerable care was taken to ascertain if in any case that were so. * Ce singulier ver a été trouvé d’abord par G. Wagener dans l’intestine de la Chimére de la Méditerranée; nous n’avons pu l’étudier que sur des individus con- servés (lans la liqueur, que G. Wagener nous a obligeamment communiqués ; sont-ils de vrais parasites internes de ces poissons? Nous en avons douté, et nous pensions ‘que ces magnifiques Trématodes étaient des parasites de quelque mollusque bivalve que le poisson avait avalés, c’est-a-dire, un parasite erratique , nous nous étions trompé. Ayant per nous procurer depuis une Chimere adult dans la liqueur, prove- nant de la céte de Norwége, nous avons eu la bonne chance de trouver deux Amphiptyches urna, adultes, dans Vintestin. Nous pouvons en conclure que c’est un Nostosite. Cf. op. cit., p. 21. 72 Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. 5 Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Il 2. 3. Part I1I.—Twenty-erghth Annual Report EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. PLATE VII. Callicotyle afinis, T. Scott. Underside of specimen to show posterior sucker, - Octobothrium leptogaster, Leuckart. Adult specimen, - Anterior end, ventral jes (en., mouth: ph., pharynx; gp., genital aperture; 9; ipl glans ) 4. Posterior end, ventral aspect, 3. a OLS? Three of the eggs removed, Awine bellones, Abildgaard. Adult specimen, ventral aspect, . One of the posterior suckers, Anterior end, ventral aspect (s. , anterior suckers), PLATE VIII. Amphiptyches urna, Gr. and W. Specimen seen from above, Specimen seen from the side, Another specimen, seen from above, A small (young ?) specimen, x X KX RO 1S tO Go Go GO OL 105 20 140 140 p PLATE Vil. 5. Eggs of Octobothrium Jleptogaster, from gills of Chimera. a 1, Callicotyle affinis, from Chimera monstrosa, captured in North Sea, January 1910. 4, Octobothrium leptogaster, Leuck. from ills of Chimera monstrosa, captured in ---Vg orth Sea, January 1910. 3. Octobothrium leptogaster (head): M, mouth: #/, pharynx: gp, genital aperture: ug, vitelline gland. 6,6A& 7 Axine bellones A. Scort, de/. FisHERY BoARD REPoRT. A. Scott, Photo. PLaTE VIII. . a : By -! i > = ri x“. = j >) : a rs “ —- a bd oT = 3 * 7 ) 3 . oo F f . ny - — . ~ = = mats : cs ~I (os) of the Fishery Board for Scotland. VIII.—A DESCRIPTION OF THE ADVANCED EMBRYONIC STAGE OF ZAMNA CORNUBICA. By Epwarp W. SaHany, B.Sc., Gatty Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, (Plate IX.) INTRODUCTORY. Two well-advanced embryos of Lamna cornubica— the common porbeagle —together with the entire oviduct of the mother, were presented to the Zoology Department of St. Andrews University by Dr. H. C. Williamson, M.A., F.R.S.E, Professor M‘Intosh kindly offered me the interesting task of describing this valuable material. While engaged upon preparing the notes for publication, the writer was fortunate in meeting Mr. H. Bolton, Curator of the Museum at Bristol, who offered for dissection another embryo of Zamna, which ke had received from Dr. Williamson about three months previously. The Bristol specimen furnished not only a useful check on the observa- tions made at St. Andrews, but, owing to slight structural differences, a clue to the manner of development. The fact that the latter specimen was examined at York will be used in distinguishing it from those which were examined at St. Andrews. Before proceeding to the account of the work done, the writer wishes to express his gratitude to Professor M‘Intosh, Dr. H. C. Williamson, Mr. H. Bolton, and Mr. James Ritchie for the use of material, and for answering patiently his numerous questions. GENERAL REMARKS. The only literature on the subject which was forthcoming consisted of a short paper entitled ‘‘ Notes on an Intra-uterine Specimen of the Porbeagle (Lamna cornubica),” by W. L, Calderwood.* This contained an account of the external features of a single embryo, measuring 103 inches, which was obtained from the uterus (oviduct) of an adult female at Aberdeen; un- fortunately, Mr. Calderwood’s drawings of this specimen were not published. Pennant} mentions a porbeagle which “had in its belly four young ones, each eight and twenty or thirty inches long.” Ina letter from Dr. Williamson, several instances of the occurrence of porbeagle embryos are mentioned, viz. :—‘‘T sent one, obtained 29th March 1909, to the Scottish Museum. I “am under the impression that other specimens are there. Two specimens “are in the Laboratory here, but neither has a date. Mr. Ingram, Fishery Officer, Leith, says that, so far as he can recollect, a female shark having “twins was obtained in a herring-net at Stornoway probably about June. “One large embryo of the porbeagle was sent by Mr. Ingram from Stornoway “to the Fishery Board’s Laboratory. It is the largest I have observed. “‘The embryo is 19 inches in total length, and the yolk is very large, the ‘‘yolk-sac measuring 94 inches in length. The adult from which Mr. “Ingram obtained the twins was about five feet long.” The embryos at St. Andrews measured 24 and 18 inches respectively in total length; the adult from which they were obtained measured about five feet. The specimen at * Siath Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, p. 263, 1887, Hprit, Zool,, Vol, LLL... p. 118, 74 Part III.—Twenty-eighth Annual Report York was 183 inches long.* R. Collet‘? has measured various specimens of the porbeagle embryo from the Museums of Christiania and Trondhjem; he speaks of them as half-grown or rather more than half-grown. The adults which contained these embryos were taken on cod and halibut lines during the winter months. The fcllowing is a list of the embryos examined by — Collet :— ‘Selje, Nordfjord, 30th Dec. 1892; 1 embryo, 290 mm. “‘Lyngen, W. Finmark, Ist Jan. 1891; 2 embryos, 295 mm. *‘ Rovaer, Stavangerfjord, 21st Feb. 1888; 4 embryos, 425 mm. (17 ins.). “The adult containing the latter measured 2565 mm. (nearly 8} feet). “The yolk-sac of the embryos had still a diameter of 185 mm. The “‘pectorals were 47 mm., the upper lobe of the caudal fin 121 mm., and “the lower 54 mm. in length.t These embryos would probably have been * born in April or May. ‘‘A specimen (2800 mm., or over 9 feet) caught off the inner islands on “15th February 1905 contained three large embryos.” It is difficult to believe the report in the Memoirs of the Wernerian Society which states that ‘‘no fewer than thirty young ones appeared in the ‘belly of this female, fully formed and apparently ready for exclusion.” This is the only record, among those examined, which gave more than four as the number of young at a birth for the porbeagle. Dr. Williamson says, “I do not know of any adult porbeagle having more than three young at a time,” Two young at a birth is apparently the most frequent number, one being found in each oviduct. An argument adduced by Mr. WV. L. Calderwood§ may be quoted here :— “The figure of the porbeagle given in Day’s ‘British Fishes’ is taken from “a specimen only measuring 33 inches, and thus is not larger than those said “to be dissected from the adult by Pennant. It has quite the adult form. “From this, and froin the statement of the Wernerian Society’s Memoirs, ‘we may therefore surmise that at birth the young porbeagle has not only “assumed the matured shape of the parent, but has already absorbed all the ‘nourishment to be derived from the yolk-sac, which forms a conspicuous ‘object in the specimen under consideration.” It would appear, further, that the young porbeagle at birth measures approximately thirty inches. There is probably considerable variation in this respect, if we consider that porbeagle embryos have been observed measuring 107, 18, and 24 inches respectively, but all apparently at the same stage of development. It seems possible that the intra-uterine development of this shark may be divided into two fairly distinct periods, which may be styled (1) Formative and (2) Protective—the first, or Formative, period comprising the time during which the organs are developed, and .erminated when the eyes, mouth, fins, etc., are fully formed, but the yolk-sac is still conspicuous; the second, or Protective, period during which the organs already formed simply increase in size at the expense of the yolk, and the uterus acts as a protection to the helpless young. ‘This period ends when the yolk is entirely absorbed and the young fish is born in a condition to shift for itself. The duration of these periods is probably variable, DeErTaAILeD MEASUREMENTS. All the embryos examined were apparently females. There was no sign of claspers on their well-developed pelvic fins. No sexual glands were formed, but in the two examples dissected the oviducts were quite patent. “ Since writing this account I have been informed by Dr. Williamson that this embryo was obtained from the same adult as those which were examined at St, Andrews.—K. W. S. + Meddelelser om Norges Fiske, 1 Aarene 1884-1901, p. 77, ~ Compare with measurements in this memoir, § Op. cit, of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 79 One of the specimens at St. Andrews was considerably the shorter, and will be referred to in this memoir as specimen A. From specimen B, the larger, the yolk had been removed ; this specimen was accordingly used for dissection, while the other was preserved for the Museum. The embryo examined at York will be referred to as specimen C. The measurements in the appended table are in millimetres. Specimen C is placed between A and B in the table, since it was intermediate in size. Region measured. A C B Tip of snout to base of caudal fin, ... 30424 o90-. «490 Upper lobe, . 145 135 168 Caudal fin (round the curve) { eee va 75 78 85 Tip of snout to anterior extremity of eye, ... 30 31 4] Width of eye socket, ... aoe eee wean fk iat 14 Hye to nostril, . ae sak enol ale 13 14 Eye to mouth, aaahuallsa is sia ssa oO 18 18 Tip of snout to upper lip, ... se oe resi) 27 3D Width of head, eye toeye ... we «= 44 44 51 Posterior extremity of lips to first gill ‘slit, cues yA 40 52 Tip of snout to anterior end of Ist dorsal fin, 166 175 220 Length of 1st dorsal at base, . sss Satie perk 38 57 Vertical hei: cht of Ist dorsal, . “5: 30 31 52 Tip of snout to anterior end of 2nd dorsal fin, 325 335 423 Length of 2nd dorsai at base, ee one 8 6 10 Vertical height of 2nd dorsal, rie Ae 8 2 12 Base of pectoral fin, ... ee ne sary a0 26 40 Length of pectoral, ... 67 69 85 Posterior of pectoral base to anterior ‘of pelvic, 94 96 84 Base of pelvic, .. bs com eee sao al 10 21 Length of pelvic, be ae aps Gaia) 20 29 35 Base of anal fin, ss bh ni this 9 rs) 10 Length of anal, aie ns see sce 9 9 14 Length of cloaca, ; ear ee 18 25 Anterior of cloaca to base of caudal, . 5, 200) 1205 aloo Anterior of lower lip to chin pit, —... cas, «5 oe 65 Chin pit to anterior end of yolk sac, fee 310) ane 54 Girth of yolk-sac at contact with body, ... 825 333 Maximum girth of yolk-sac, ... 545 568 Girth of yolk-sac from flank to flank (not allowing for body width), she 360 =385 — . EXTERWAL APPEARANCE. The young porbeagles closely resemble the adult in external features, except for the presence of the bulky yolk-sac (Pl. [X., fig. 1). The cylin- drical body lies in a somewhat curved posture over the large ovoid yolk-sac, with which it is in contact between the pectoral and pelvic fins for a distance of 100 mm. The dorsal aspect of the head is flattened. The snout is much blunter than that of the adult. The nasal apertures are connected by a furrow. There is a chin pit on the ventral aspect of the head, situated a few centimetres behind the lower lip; in specimen C there was no distinct pit, the under surface in the branchial region forming a shallow concavity, rounded in front, to which the anterior projection of the yolk-sac is closely applied. The inter-nasal furrow and chin pit are embryonic characters, and are not found in the adult. The eyes and mouth are well developed, the latter containing a few small teeth. The latter do not show the two lateral cusps said to be present in the adult. F 76 Part I1I.—Twenty-eighth Annual Report The presence or absence of spiracles in Lamna cornulica is still an open question. Sir William Turner* describes minutely the spiracles in a young female measuring 32 feet, but these were only wide enough to admit the passage of a pig’s bristle. Spiracles are also said to be present by Miiller and Henle, in their work on the Plagiostomata, by Yarrell in his “ British Fishes,” aud by Dumeéril in his *: Hist. Nat. des Poissons.” Fleming, Couch, and Parnell state that they are wanting. Day compromises with the remark, ““Spiracles, if present, minute ;” Tate Regan, in his “‘ Classification of the Selachian Fishes,” agrees with this conclusion. Giinther found no spiracles in L. cornubica, but states that ‘‘a minute pore-like foramen could be seen “Con one side of an example of LZ. spallanzani.”. Mr. W. L. Calderwood, in describing his embryo porbeagle, says:----‘‘In this young specimen the “‘skin between the eye and gill slits was very soft and much wrinkled, and “although examined carefully with a lens revealed no aperture.” The result of a similar examination of the specimens at St. Andrews corroborated this statement; in the specimen at York, however, a small pit was observed on either side of the head, level with the centre of the eye, and in each case 22-5 mm. from the margin of the latter. The position agrees well with that observed by Sir W. Turner,? but some doubt remains whether these were actually the openings of spiracular canals or merely surface pits. They would not admit the passage of a hair; and when a fine surgical wire was used, it was found that the wire did not follow a definite channel, but forged a course for itself through the soft vacuolated tissues. The tissues were unfortunately too soft for sectioning, or some evidence might have been obtained in this manner. Careful examination did not reveal an internal spiracular aperture in the pharynx. The minute spiracles which have been found in adult porbeagles by various observers can be of very little use to the fish; if they were of vital importance they would be present invariably. Itis probable, then, that the spiracles of Lamna cornubica are abortive structures. By the law of re- eapitulation, the spiracle is formed in the embryo, but disappears in most cases before, or soon after, birth. This interpretation of the facts is only an hypothesis, and must await further investigations. The five gill slits were open and the gills fully developed. All the fins were normal with the exception of the caudal, whose dorsal and ventral lobes had not yet expanded, but had a chelate appearance. ‘he keel on the sides of the posterior end of the body, also the notch in the back at the base of the caudal fin, were characteristic. The skin was slightly roughened with developing scales (Plate IX., fig. 2). The colouring of the trunk and fins was normal ; the yolk-sac was yellow. Ihe cloaca was open. Owing to the courtesy of Mr. James Ritchie, M.A., B.Sc., the writer was enabled to examine the porbeagle embryo which was sent by Dr. Williamson to the Royal Scottish Museum. This form was a female (2) measuring 212 inches in total length, and the yolk-sac was still of enormous bulk. The young fish was slightly better developed than tkose examined at St. Andrews. “The inter-nasal groove had almost disappeared, the teeth were numerous, and the chin-pit was almost filled out, being only represented by two grooves which ran from the first gill slit towards the point where the pit was formerly placed. In this example, too, a pair of minute pits were observed an inch behind the margin of the eye, one on each side of the head. It was not clear whether the pits communicated with an internal passage. It was not possible to effect an entry with a hair or waxed thread. This isa similar condition to that recorded above for specimen C, and seems to render it yet more probable that these pits have some connection with the proble- matical spiracles, * Journ. Anat. and Phys., 1875, p. 301. + Op. cit. { I did not see the interior, but there were no traces of claspers. of the Fishery Board for Scotland. a INTERNAL EXAMINATION OF SPECIMENS B anv C. Both surfaces of the wall of the yolk-sac were smooth ; the wall was very thin except where it approached the body-wall. The wall was well supplied with blood vessels, whose ramifications could be plainly seen. The yolk formed a dense mass of a pale yellow colour. It was applied closely to the wall of the sac, and found its way into every interstice of the body-cavity, investing completely the abdominal organs. The cesophagus lead into a funnel- shaped organ, whose wide distal end opened freely into the substance of the yolk (Plate IX., fig. 3). The cesophagus was thick-walled, and bore marked longitudinal ridges on its inner surface. The wall of the funnel also showed ridges of thickening at its proximal end, but became thin at the distal end. The margin at the open end was deeply serrated. A lobed mass of tissue was found adhering tv the outer wall of the funnel, but its runction was not ascertained ; it is shown in Plate IX., fig. 3 (/.¢.). A thick-walled narrow tube lead from the funnel to the spiral intestine. The stomach did not appear to exist as such at this period. The connecting tube mentioned above, and depicted in Plate IX., fig. 3 (c.¢.), was slung from the cesophagus by a tough mesentery. It entered the wall of the funnel where the latter began to dilate, and ran in the wall of the funnel for a short space, finally opening into the funnel. As before stated, this tube enters the spiral intestine ; if this portion of the connecting tube is persistent it probably becomes the pylorus of the adult, and accounts for the remarkable constriction at the entrance to the spiral intestine. The intestine lead into the rectum, which opened into the cloaca. ‘The rectal gland was a club-shaped diverticulum opening into the rectum on its dorsal aspect. The large bi-lobed liver occupied the greater part of the abdominal cavity anteriorly. The oviducts were formed, but, as was previously mentioned, there were no traces of ovaries. The kidneys could be seen on the dorsal wall of the body cavity. A pair of tubes lying anteriorly to the kidneys were thought to be the abortive anterior portions of the Wolffian ducts. The brain and nervous system were much decomposed, but had apparently reached their full development. The spinal column was composed almost entirely of sectile cartilage, which, however, showed signs of incipient thickening in certain areas, foreshadowing the osseous plates in the vertebra of the adult which have been described by Owen* and by Tate Regan.f The notochord persisted as a transparent gelatinous substance in the inter- spaces Letween the vertebre. The oral and pharyngeal linings were beset with hollow papille throughout the area which Immst has described as covered with denticles in a specimen measuring 790 mm. (about 31 inches). Microscopic examination failed to reveal denticles, even in an incipient condition, in the skin of the mouth and pharynx of the embryos under consideration. The most noteworthy feature of the internal structure was the condition of the arterial arches. In the majority of the present-day sharks, with the exception of the Notidauoidei, the ventral aorta breaks up into five arches. The posterior pair of afferent branchials leaves the ventral aorta on its dorso- lateral aspect, and supplies the fifth gill pouch. The next two arches, that is to say the fourth and third afferent branchials, leave the ventral aorta on its lateral aspect at varying intervals. Anteriorly the ventral aorta bifurcates, and its right and left branches thus formed bifurcate again to give the second and first aortic arches. This condition was realised in the young porbeagles, but in specimen B in addition there was a sixth aortic arch, whose branches left the ventral aorta on the dorsal aspect slightly posterior to the origin of the fifth aortic arch (Plate IX., fig 4). The origins of these vessels were *The Anatomy of Vertebrates, Vol. I., p. 33. + Proc. Zool. Soc., 1906, p. 742. t Proc. Zool. Soc., 1905, Vol. I., p. 44. 78 Part III.—Twenty-eighth Annual Report perfectly distinct up to the point where they joined the ventral aorta. They differed from the five normal arches in this, viz., that they did not supply a gill pouch, but running almost directly backwards, and then outwards, they ramified among the muscles of the body wall. In specimen C the sixth arch was found, but the vessels were smaller and more delicate than those in specimen B ; moreover, they never actually entered the ventral aorta, but ended blindly in connective tissue immediately posterior to the origin of the fifth pair of afferent branchials. The only literature which threw any light upon this subject was the following extract from Milne’ Edwards “‘Legons.” Speaking of the aortic arches of fishes, he says :—‘ Les crosses aortiques se constituent successivement d” “avant en arriére, et l’on en compte jusqu’ a sept paires ; mais il est rare “que tous ces valsseaux aient une existence permanente, et, le plus “ ordinairement, les premiers formés s’ atrophient et disparaissent avant que “les derniers se soient bien constitués ; enfin d’autres fois quelques-uns de “‘ ceux-cl paraissent avorter, de sorte que, chez l’animal parfait, le nombre “dle ces arcs vasculaires ne dépasse que rarement quatre ou cing paires.” In the case of the porbeagle, it would appear on the contrary that the posterior, or last formed, arterial arch atrophies ; for it is this posterior arch which is not found in the adult Selachian. From the evidence of these aortic arches, it appears highly probable that during the younger stages of the development in Lamna cornubica there may be a kind of placental connection between mother and young. It has been shown that the body-wall is continuous with the wall of the yolk- sac; further, that a supply of blood reaches the body-wall direct from the heart. If, at an earlier stage than that under consideration, the wall of the yolk-sac was actually in organic connection with the ridged inner wall of the uterus (which is also well supplied with blood vessels), it is quite possible to conceive that the venous blood brought by the sixth aortic arch to the wall of the yolk-sac might be aerated by arterial blood in the uterine wall. When the gills were formed this method of respiration would no longer be necessary, and the accessory sixth aortic arch would atrophy. In specimen C one might point out that such an occurrence is in the act of taking place, The weak point in this idea is the fact that there is no trace on the wall of the yolk-sac of any such organic connection as was postulated. Tue Uterus (Ovipuctr) or THE ADULT. The adult female which contained the two embryos A and B which have been described above, measured about five feet in total length. Each oviduct was 23 inches in total length. The oviducts were united by tough mesentery throughout their length. The anterior portion of the oviduct was closed by a dense network of tissue. The uterine portion was very much swollen in order to contain the large embryos ; each oviduct contained one of the latter. The uteri united at the posterior end, ran parallel with one another for two inches, then opened by a common muscular tube about three inches in length. The uterine wall was of a leathery nature. The external surface was smooth, the internal thrown into ridges and furrows. At the anterior end of the uterus the inner wall showed the highest ridges ; these were in the form of longitudinal folds, between which lay smaller elevations. The remainder of the internal surface of the uterus was ridged in all directions, the ridges growing less conspicuous towards the posterior end. No villi comparable with those described by M‘Intosh* for Zoarces viviparus were observed. In transverse section (Plate IX., fig. 5) the uterine wall showed an outer layer of compact cells, next a deep layer consisting of a series of muscle fibres and nucleated cells, and finally a dentate layer composed of small * Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., June, 1885. a 8 S z < = wn = 5 Thi x Bits 2 Sea ceo = “ « bs = of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 79 cells. In the middle layer there was an upper and a lower stratum com- posed entirely of closely-packed muscie fibres, between which occurred a more loosely-packed stratum. The latter stratum consisted of nucleated cells among which were found a few muscle fibres ; the uterine blood vessels lay in this stratum. This fact is also opposed to the supposition of a placental connection. EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES IN PLATE IX. Fic. 1. Embryo A Reduced from drawing x 4. 7%.g.=inter-nasal groove. ¢.p.= chin pit. y.s.=yolk-sac. ,. 2. Skin of embryo B. Reduced from drawing x 475. Showing pigment spots and a dermal denticle in the process of development. ,, 3. Digestive tract of embryo C. Reduced from drawing x 1. @s. =cesophagus. j-=tunnel. J7:t. = lobed tissue mass. c.t.=tube leading to intestine. 2.8. =Spiral intestine (slit open). rect.=rectum. 7.g.=rectal gland. », 4. Heart and branchial arches of B. Reduced from drawing x 1. Ventral aspect. I.-VI.=first to sixth afferent branchials.* c.—=conus arteriosus. v.=ventricle. a.=auricle. ,, 5. Transverse section of uterine (oviducal) wall of adult. Reduced from drawing x 20. 7a.f=internal folds. muws.=muscle fibre strata. nuc.=muscle fibres and nucleated cells. /ac.=blood lacuna. * Jn the light of the probable function of the sixth arterial arch it is perhaps inadvisable to speak of it as an afferent branchial. BL WHOI Library - Serials bf ae é , ‘ ty Hise ie 4 Lire Si ay phe ry Sta MEMEN *