142 



of the eyes formed a marked contrast. One was found in the 

 right ovary and the others in the left, and they all occurred on 

 the peripheral region of the mass of eggs on its ventral aspect. 

 They were entirely removed from the ova-producing lamella, and 

 had no connection with these or with the walls of the ovary. 

 1 he eggs in their immediate neighbourhood were embedded in 

 a sort of mucous substance, which coagulated in formalin, and 

 which contained scattered throughout it isolated oil globules. 

 In nearly every case the larvae were found coiled up in a peculiar 

 manner, with a strong flexure near the middle of the body and 

 another in the same direction towards the end of the tail. In 

 one instance, in breaking up the mass of eggs surrounding in 

 embryo, that is carefully detaching eggs and embryo from the 

 surrounding mucous, there was an escape of numerous oil 

 globules, which were also found in the open mouth and throat 

 of the embryo, thoui^h none of the e.^.^'s or larvae seemed in- 

 jured. In another case (PI. xi., fig. 58) the embryo was coiled 

 round a white substance, which at first seemed to be a mass of 

 mucous and oil globules, except that it had numerous black pig- 

 ment spots. Further examination showed that one end of this 

 mass was enveloped in the mouth of the larva, and this on being 

 withdrawn (Fig. 58a) appeared to be the tail of another and 

 smaller larva. On some of the surrounding mucous being re- 

 moved this proved to be the case. Fig. 58 represents the whole 

 in situ after the tail had been withdrawn from the mouth. The 

 rest of the body of tiie smaller embryo was coiled up in the form 

 of a figure 8, the abdomenal and head region being somewhat 

 broken up. 



The largest larva was found lying on the floor of the ovarian 

 wall, that is between the mass of eggs and the tough capsule, and 

 quite free from ova and mucous. " It was 10 mm. in length. The 

 pectorals were well developed, and a few rudimentary ra}'S ap- 

 peared in theni, and in the dorsal fin at its commencement over the 

 head (see PI. XI, fig. 57). The body and fins were covered with 

 black branching cells These were most marked in the head re- 

 gion, being somewhat more sparsely scattered on the body. They 

 formed a border to the dorsal fin and a less marked one to the 

 anal ; a group of pigment cells occurred near the posterior ex- 

 tremity above and below the caudal portion of the bod}'. The 

 dorsal fin commenced well forward on the crown of the head (in 

 the adult it is much further back), and continues backwards as 

 a fairly wide border. The ventral fin behind the vent was also 

 well developed, and tliere was a slight pre-anal fin. The vent 

 was approximately medium, but somewhat nearer the head than 

 the tail, much more so than in the adult. The rectum was well 

 developed, and the intestine was continued forwaro, and after 

 making one or two coils over a large liver could be traced to the 

 oesophagus. The notochord appeared to be multicolumnar. 

 There were four well-developed branchial arches and a clavicle. 



