139 

 SPECIES XVIr 



This species is very distinctly characterised by having a thick 

 envelope of a clear gelatinous substance, with polygonal facets on 

 its surface. This substance is apparently homogeneous, and is 

 transparent, so that the egg proper appears as a dark sphere 

 surrounded by a sort of halo, having however occasionally a 

 few dark spots outside its periphery. When viewed by trans- 

 mitted light (Plate VI, fig. 39), the surface is seen to be divided 

 up into polygonal markings, usually six-sided. When viewed 

 from the side near the periphery of the egg, the sides of the poly- 

 gonal facets were seen to be cuirved and raised into ridges having 

 a smooth, sharp, and clearly-defined edge. This becomes very 

 evident when the egg is removed from the water and viewed as 

 an opaque object (fig. 40). 



The total diameter, including envelope, varies from rgi to i"7 

 mm., the egg proper from i to ro6 mm. A single oil globule 

 is present, varying from "25 to '21 mm. in diameter, and is 

 usually greenish in colour, but sometimes clear and colourless. 



Some of the eggs showed the early stages of embryos, but 

 none far enough advanced to show any specific characteristic. 

 All were examined and measured in 2 per cent, formalin. 



The eggs were procured as follows :■ — 



Ref. 

 No. 



No. 

 Pro- 

 cured. 



Locality. 



Means ui 

 Capture. 



Depth. 



Date. 



Cape Point, N.E. by 

 E. I E. 8 miles. 



Cape Point, N. 50° 

 E. 34A miles. 



Cape Point, E. 'n N. 

 20 miles. 



Moderately tine 

 net on beam. 



Coarse net on 

 beam . 



Modei-ately tine 

 net on surface. 



380-2 

 3^0-475 



Any. 27th, 1903. 

 Sept. nth, 1903. 



Note. — C<3mpare somewhat similar eggs described by Hensen and Kattaele. 



(d) Species with Several Oil Globules. 

 Stromateus microchirus, Bonap. 



A ripe male and female of this fish were procured in Mossel 

 Bay, igth February, 1903. Fertilized eggs were secured and 

 kept till hatching took place, 34 hours later No facilities for 

 microscopic examination were available, and the following notes 

 are from material preserved in formalin. 



The eggs vary from '81 to '85 mm. in diameter. There are 

 several oil gloVjules, one to five of which are of a dark colour, 



