THE DEVELOPMENT 



OP 



SOUTH AFRICAN FISHES. 



PART 11. 



BY 

 J. D. F. GILCHRIST, M.A., B.Sc, Ph.D., C.M.Z.S. 



Government Biologist to the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope. 



The following- observations on the development of South 

 African fishes are in continuation of those published at an 

 earlier date (Jllarine Investigations in South Africa, Vol. 11, 

 page i8i). 



The material was procured by the Government steamer, 

 chiefly while engaged in deep waters off Cape Point, and in 

 occasional tow nettings in False Bay. Whenever possible the 

 eggs were brought in alive, and their development observed. 

 Many eggs and larvae were simply preserv^ed in formalin, and 

 an attempt was made to sort these out into what might be con- 

 sidered to belong to different species. In most cases, however, 

 this turned out to be unsatisfactory, and to avoid confusion the 

 observations made are heldMn reserve until living specimens 

 can be procured. A few well-characterised eggs, however, are 

 described from preserved specimens. 



In Part I. of these observations the ^^g of a fish named pro- 

 \ isionally " Species I." was described, along with the larva 

 hatched from it. It is one of two kinds of eggs that were found 

 attached to shells and stones. This now appears to be the egg- 

 of a species of fish known to fishermen as " KHp-zuiger," or 

 " Sucker-fish," a name applied to fish having a well-developed 

 sucker, by means of which they can adhere firmly to rocks, etc. 

 They are small and of no commercial value, so that whatever 

 injury may be done to the eo-g by nets or trawls is not likely to 

 have any direct effect on the fishing industry. This identifica- 

 tion was made possible by the finding of several young fish in 



