^H| THE FLOUNDER FAMILY. 817 



given season are ripened and shed, increase to a size more or 

 less uniform, but considerably smaller than the mature egg; 

 and that subsequent increase to the ripe state takes place with 

 more rapid strides than the previous growth, and in detach- 

 ments. Such is the general impression, though no exact 

 observations have been made. 



Shortly afterwards 1 a consignment of apparently ripe 

 though dead eggs was sent by Dr Fulton. They were the 

 largest and perhaps the most beautiful of the eggs of flat- 

 fishes (Plate III, fig. 18). They had a diameter ranging from 

 3'4<290 to 37619 mm., and before being immersed in sea-water, 

 resembled a slightly milky mass of young Salpce, or a quantity 

 of boiled sago, their diameter, however, being considerably less 

 than after immersion, viz. 3'0480 to 3'276G mm. Many had 

 been ruptured, and thus the fluid in the bottle was rendered 

 milky from the yolk. It is probable that in perfection they 

 are quite translucent. If, as they appeared to be, these eggs 

 are pelagic, they are the largest known in our country ; indeed 

 Raffaele in the rich Bay of Naples found none over 3 mm. in 

 diameter, though Wenckebach subsequently procured one of 

 4 mm. 



The capsule of the egg is evidently thin flapping to and 

 fro with the movements of the fluid in which it was 

 immersed. It by-aiid-by became tense by imbibition and 

 exhibited slight elasticity, so that the egg was easily lifted 

 by a pair of fine forceps and transferred from vessel to vessel. 

 If the egg happened to fall on a plate of glass immediate 

 rupture ensued. Proportionally therefore the capsule under 

 these conditions is the thinnest yet met with in the group. It 

 is marked by a series of fine creases or folds, which have a some- 

 what " coursed " or even stellate arrangement, like those of the 

 lemon-dab or brill. The minute punctures occur all over the 

 surface ; the micropyle is in the form of a simple orifice of a 

 slightly pinkish hue like the large pores in the capsule of the 

 torsk (a feature probably due to refraction). The yolk is quite 

 transparent and homogeneous. 



Next year, 1893, Mr Duthie, Assistant Fishery-Officer, 

 1 W. C. M. 10th S. F. B. Eept. p. 286. 



