BREEDING HABITS. 205 



from the Carnegie Institution I expected to remain in Cuba during the entire 

 breeding season to secure a full series of embryos and to rear young in the light. 

 Unfortunately for this plan the fish seem to have no general breeding season, and 

 the appropriation was exhausted in determining that fact. I visited Cuba late in 

 October, which was supposed to be the beginning of the breeding season if March 

 was the end, but there was no indication that this time was near the breeding 

 season. I had collections made early in December and again visited Cuba late 

 in that month. But while, as before, there were indications that some individuals 

 were ready to breed, there was no indication of the approach of a general breed- 

 ing season. I next had collections made the first week in May without results. 

 I revisited the caves late in August and early in September and finally, near the 

 end of June, sent two of my students, Mr. John Haseman and Norman Mclndoo, 

 to the caves. The former had accompanied me on one of the trips, and both were 

 in every way thoroughly competent to get everything possible. 



To summarize: The caves were examined by myself and Mr. Riddle early 

 and late in March, 1902; by Mr. Martinez early in May, 1903; by Mr. Haseman 

 and Mr. Mclndoo late in June, 1905 ; by myself and Mr. Hankinson late in August, 

 1904 ; by myself and Dr. Beede late in October, 1904 ; by Mr. Martinez in Decem- 

 ber 1, 1903; and by myself and Mr. Haseman late in December, 1903. 



The net results of these numerous trips for Lucifuga are: Late in March I 

 secured one female with young about 20 mm. long, or nearly ready to be born ; 

 the ovaries in most of the other females were minute, the largest eggs measuring 

 356 p; in two ovaries there were eggs 560 fi and 850 ^ in diameter, both of these 

 containing spermatozoa. Late in June a female with 15 young, 12 mm. long, was 

 obtained; the ovaries of the remaining fishes were small. On August 23 a female 

 with 10 nearly grown young was obtained. The ovaries of all the others were min- 

 ute. Late in October and December the ovaries of all females secured were minute. 



The young from the female in March were at least 3 months old. This would 

 give a breeding period whose outside limits would extend from December to the 

 end of August. The examination of numerous ovaries does not indicate a general 

 breeding season, though a larger per cent contained large eggs in March than in 

 other seasons. The best season to get material is probably March to May. 



The net results for Stygicola are : 



In March the ovaries of Stygicola are mostly small, with eggs not exceeding 200 

 fx. One female taken at this time contained eggs 600 to 700 /x in diameter and 

 her ovary was abundantly supplied with spermatozoa. In May no mating females 

 were secured. In June the ovaries were mostly minute. Two of those secured 

 contained turgid ovaries in which the structures were distinctly lobulated. 



On September 1, I obtained a female with one young from the Carboneria. 

 Other females had large ovaries, probably recently freed from young. Most females 

 had small ovaries. One contained large eggs. The rest contained small eggs. 



On October 30, I obtained a Stygicola from Alacranes containing two young. 

 The mother was 92 mm. long and her ovary contained eggs 880 /* long, which 

 were evidently mature} At the same time I obtained 47 other females from 77 to 



1 In an ovary containing spermatozoa in abundance, days if not months before the ripening of the eggs, an 

 occasional early ripening should naturally result in the development of the embryo. The present case is probably 

 one of this sort. Two eggs evidently started to develop long before the others were mature. The ripening of the 

 eggs at different times may lead to different sized larvae in the same ovary unless the earlier larvae digest the sper- 

 matozoa present before the other eggs become ripe. 



