FISH-CULTURAL INVESTIGATIONS AT ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND. 247 



in tne whiting, since it was much less acutely triangular and much less elongated. 

 It possessed 14 rays (Day attributing 12 to 15 to the poor cod). The second dorsal 

 corresponded generally with that in the last-mentioned species, and it had 22 rays 

 (Day giving 19 to 25). The tin rays, however, were less uniform. The third dorsal had 

 25 rays (Day, 17 to 22) and resembled that in the poor cod. The first anal commenced 

 in a line with the posterior border of the first dorsal, aud extended slightly beyond 

 the commencement of the third dorsal. The longer rays anteriorly, and its general 

 shape, approached the condition in the poor cod. It had 27 rays (Day, 25 to 28). A 

 vertical line from the posterior border of the first dorsal touched the commencement 

 of this fin, whereas in the whiting a considerable portion of the first anal was in front 

 of the line. The second anal had 20 rays (Day, 25 to 29). 



The caudal had a somewhat larger "bite" in the middle than usual, and had 30 

 rays (Day, 26). The pectorals require no special remark, except that the black spot at 

 the base was more pronounced than in the poor cod, but corresponded neither with the 

 bib nor the whiting, being less distinct than in the former, and larger than in the 

 latter. It proceeded nearly to the middle of the base, instead of being confined to 

 the region above the base. There were 18 rays in the pectorals (Day, 13 to 16). The 

 pelvic fins agreed with those in the poor cod, each having 6 rays. 



When viewed from the dorsum the snout was considerably narrower than in a poor 

 cod of the same length. In profile, also, the head was more elongate, the mandible 

 especially differing, since it projected in front beyond the preinaxillaries. The eyes 

 were considerably smaller than in an average example of the poor cod, and the loose 

 corneal covering was less developed. The barbel was comparatively small. 



The specimen was a female, with the ovaries even more advanced than in an ordi- 

 nary example of the species, and it would certainly have spawned this season. The 

 ova ranged from -3810 mm. to 1-1430 mm. 



The teeth differed from those of the poor cod and the bib, being nearly uniform ; 

 that is, the larger teeth of the outer row, usually so characteristic, were not distinctly 

 differentiated. They diverged still further from the teeth of the whiting. There 

 were 37 gill-rakers in the outer gill, 24 in the next, 23 in third, and 18 in the inner, all 

 thus diverging from the average condition in the poor cod. 



On the whole the differences warrant notice, especially as these became even more 

 marked after preservation in spirit. Instead of the pale-brownish and somewhat, 

 loose, wrinkled skin of the dorsum and lateral regions of an ordinary preparation of a 

 poor cod, this presented slightly darker pigment on a smoother surface (smaller 

 scales). The region below the lateral line was also much smoother, and, moreover, 

 the firm surface had a sheen as silvery as in the whiting. 



ON THE EGGS OF THE COALFISH (GADUS VIEENS). 



Some remarks were made last year* on the unfertilized eggs of this species, and 

 the continued exertions of Dr. Fulton aud the staff of the Fishery Board have enabled 

 me to add to our knowledge of this species. In a ripe female the ovaries are charac- 

 terized by walls of considerable thickness, so that at first sight they resembled those 

 of the wolf-fish, more especially as they were very distinctly connate. In section the 

 ovarian wall appeared to have a well-marked circular coat, then a thick layer of 

 longitudinal fibers, followed by a somewhat mixed inner series, chiefly circular, but 



*Tenth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, in, p. 287. 



