SPAWNING HABITS OF CUMINGIA TELLINOIDES. 



433 



Comment. Spawning all but extinct. Not even one fair lot of eggs obtained. 

 Scarcely visible in the dish. Almost no spawning activity during the past week. 



XI. 7/24. 13 females spawned lightly, 1/2 to 1/3 maximum. 7 males shed 

 sperm, 6 heavy, i light. 2 did not spawn. 



Comment. Great revival of spawning but light in amount. 



* July 25, full moon. 



XII. 7/26. 8 females spawned, 4 heavy (maximum) and 4 medium (1/2 to 2/3 

 maximum). 12 males shed sperm, 6 heavy, 4 medium, and 2 light. 

 6 did not spawn. 



Comment. Very heavy spawning. The heaviest this year to date. All spawned 

 promptly after thirty or forty minutes. Lunar periodicity is demonstrated clearly. 

 Almost complete cessation of spawning ten days before full moon but came on 

 again actively at full moon. 



* July 31, third quarter. 



XIII. 8/4. All spawned actively, 100 per cent. 



* August 8, new moon. 



XIV. 8/10. 6 females spawned, 3 heavy, 2 medium, i light, n males shed 



sperm, 10 heavy or medium, i light. 6 did not spawn. 

 XV. 8/13. 7 females spawned, 6 medium or heavy, i light. 7 males shed 



sperm, mostly heavy, i did not spawn. 



XVI. 8/16. 100 per cent, spawned. 8 females spawned in quantity. 7 males 

 shed sperm in quantity. 



* August 16, first quarter. 



XVII. 8/20. 5 females spawned (1/2 maximum or less). 7 males shed sperm, 



1/2 maximum. 2 did not spawn. 



XVIII. 8/21. 6 females spawned heavily, 1/2 to 3/4 maximum. 9 males shed 

 sperm heavily. 5 did not spawn. 



* August 23, full moon. 



Comment. There is no evidence of reduced spawning at the first quarter in 

 August, whereas in July there was a clear-cut case. 



XIX. 8/28. 7 females spawned, approximately 12 maximum. 12 males shed 

 sperm, medium to light. 5 did not spawn. 



Comment. Spawning at this time by about 80 per cent, of the individuals but 

 for the most part below the spawning of last week in quantity. Good lots of eggs 

 still obtained, 1/2 to 1/3 maximum the rule. The quantity of eggs spawned by 

 each individual is usually reduced toward the end of the season. 



* August 29, third quarter. 



XX. 8/31. 3 females spawned, 2 i/io maximum, i 1/20 maximum. 4 males 



shed sperm (1/4 maximum). 25 did not spawn. 



XXI. 9/1. 6 females spawned 1/20 maximum (scarcely visible in the dish). 

 4 males shed sperm, very light, i/io maximum, water only slightly 

 turbid. 14 did not spawn. 



XXII. 9/3. No eggs and no sperm. Some extended the siphons and lashed 

 them in characteristic manner but there were no eggs in the ducts. 



Comment. Very light spawning. Almost none since August 28. Spawning 

 suddenly fell off, one week after full moon. Vigorous spawning continued for 

 five days after full moon. 



