272 THE COD FAMILY. 



accessory vesicles connected with it by protoplasm. The tail 

 extended a little beyond the yolk, which (latter) had a few pale 

 wrinkles in front, and its surface was dotted with minute 

 granules. In certain views finely branched processes projected 

 from a black pigment-speck on the body to the surface of 

 the yolk, evidently uncoloured prolongations which afterwards 

 developed pigment. The black chromatophores on the head 

 and along the edges of the muscle-plates were distinct, and some 

 were slightly branched, especially on the head. In lateral 

 views the pectoral expansions were prominent. When placed 

 in pure sea-water, after examination, the embryo and its yolk 

 rose rapidly to the surface. On the same date, an embryo 

 within the capsule was less advanced, and the heart presented 

 no movement. 



Twenty-four hours later (9th May) the extruded embryo 

 still survived. Considerable diminution of the yolk had oc- 

 curred, but a rupture of the sac had taken place posteriorly. 

 The eyes were more clearly outlined, and pigment was de- 

 veloping in them, while the choroidal fissure was prominent. 

 The otocysts were much larger and had a rim. The heart 

 pulsated and had endocardial papillae. The pericardial space 

 was large. The pectoral fins showed a thickened rim of 

 epiblast. Kupffer's vesicle was still present. The black chro- 

 matophores were distinct, though those of the embryo in the 

 capsule were more branched. Both specimens perished at this 

 stage. 



The pollack (lythe), though by no means uncommon, has 

 thus been a somewhat difficult fish to deal with in regard to its 

 ova. From information sent by Mr Duthie, it appears to 

 come inshore only after spawning, and is by no means rare in 

 June, July, and August. It is an active form, and generally 

 struggles so severely when hooked that it is brought up dead. 

 Moreover, the egg-capsules seem to be easily affected by 

 confinement. 



While the eggs have thus seldom come under observation, 

 the young forms from about an inch to nearly If inches are 

 abundant amidst the shoals of cod and green cod off the 

 rocks on various parts of the coast in July, and are caught 



