THE COD FAMILY. 301 



body. Two days later a considerable portion of the tail was free 

 from the yolk, the lenses, ear-capsules, and the heart, in which 

 slight contractions were evident, had likewise appeared. More- 

 over a few simple specks of dark pigment were scattered over 

 the tail. The embryo jerked head and tail. The eggs had now 

 gone to the bottom of the vessel, probably from the difference 

 in the specific gravity of the sea water. 



On the seventh day, black pigment specks were studded 

 along the body and on the head, some on the latter and near 

 the lobate breast-fins being stellate (Plate III, fig 12). The 

 heart had its open end to the left, and was in full action. Each 

 ear-capsule had two otoliths. The tail was much elongated, and 

 had a group of black chromatophores at the tip. The space 

 between the embryo and the capsule was larger, probably from 

 the absorption of the nutrient yolk. 



A feature of interest was the appearance before hatching of 

 a greenish hue by transmitted light on the head and the tip of 

 the tail. The combination of pink and green in this species is 

 noteworthy and unusual amongst pelagic ova. Some larvae 

 emerged on the 9th day, and measured about 4 mm. They are 

 characterised by the large pinkish-brown oil-globule, which is 

 generally fixed at the posterior border of the yolk (Plate XI, 

 fig. 3). An interesting feature in some was the free condition 

 of the oil-globule. On depressing the tail of the larva the 

 globule glides forward to the middle of the yolk, and on 

 elevating the head it mounts to the anterior border of the yolk. 

 Nothing, indeed, could better illustrate the features formerly 

 pointed out in regard to the movement of the oil-globule 

 in the gurnard ; and in this instance the passage of the 

 brightly coloured globule through the yolk (and not merely at 

 the surface of the yolk) was easily followed. This free condition 

 of the globule was probably abnormal, but it is worthy of note. 

 The larval torsk is further distinguished by the presence of five 

 conspicuous black bars, viz., one on the head and four on the 

 body. The chromatophores on the head are somewhat irre- 

 gularly scattered, though in the egg a front view shows that a 

 more or less symmetrical series occurs over each eye. The first 

 patch or bar of finely branched pigment-corpuscles on the trunk 



