•145 



iish-eggs. About half a dozen of these were found, however, 

 in a fresh surface tow-netting, on the iith September. 1903, 

 from about 34I miles off Cape Point (Cape Point bearmg N. 

 5c'-' E.). They measured from rS/ to i'/2 mm. in diameter, and 

 some contained an embryo a little less than half the circumfer- 

 ence of the egg. Yellow pigment spots could be seen on the 

 embryo from head to tail. Unfortunately, these did not hatch 

 out, in spite of special care. Similar eggs were again procured 

 on the 27th September, 46 miles off Cape Point, but the}' again 

 did not survive till hatching. 



Some time afterwards living larvae were procured in a surface 

 tow-net 13 miles off Cape Point, on the 30th October, 1903, with 

 the yolk opaque and vesiculated as in the above eggs, but with- 

 out any trace of pigment on the embr}'o. The yolk was drawn 

 out and somewhat rectangular in shape, and the rectum was 

 anterior. The total length was 2*04 mm. 



Scombresox saurus, Walb. 



The diameter of 12 eggs varied from 2"76 to 2'i mm. There 

 was no oil globule, and the yolk was clear and not vesiculate. All 

 showed a sprinkling of minute dark dots over the surface. The 

 eggs seem to be of a particularly hardy nature, as, although some 

 sank to the bottom of the jar owing probably to the collection of 

 particles on them, and frequently became coated with a white 

 substance apparently of fungoid growth, yet after clearing with a 

 camel's hair brush they floated fairly well, and ultimately 

 developed as the others. One procured on the iith Sep- 

 tember, Cape Point bearing N. 50° E., distant 34^ miles, 

 showed the embryo fairly well developed, but the tail not free. 

 On the 1 6th, the embryo was further advanced, being about one- 

 half the circumference of the egg and with the tail partially 

 free. There was little colour in the embryo, there being only 

 a few dark dots scattered sparsely over the body and a few 

 stellate (mostly 3 -rayed) pigment spots on the surface of the yolk, 

 immediately adjacent to the body of the embryo, as shown in 

 Plate X, fig. 53 (from an egg preserved in formalin). At this 

 stage an active circulation, a characteristic feature of this 

 pelagic egg, appeared. The heart beat 1 1 2 in a minute. A single 

 afferent vessel could be perceived running along the ventral 

 surface of the egg. The course of this vessel was in a straight 

 line from the caudal region to the heart. By focussing deeper 

 for the low-er side of the egg till the dark spots on embryo and 

 yolk become visible, the following efferent vessels become 

 visible : One on each side, starting from the region of the rudi- 

 ments of the pectoral fin and proceeding at right angles to the 

 body over the yolk till about half-way to the periphery, when 

 they each turn abruptly to the head region and return on either 



