Bd. V: 6) THE FISHES OF THE SWEDISH SOUTH POLAR EXPEDITION. 53 



Specimens of Notothenia macrocepliala mariuorata cauglit in May 1902 in 

 Cumberland Bay, South Georgia, showed genital organs beginning to develop, and 

 indicating a spawning season at the end of the antarctic winter, or in the spring. ' 

 In the large specimens of N. gibberifroiis caught at the same time the swelling of 

 the genital organs had not yet begun. This species consequently propagates at 

 another time of the year. Specimens of N. sinia measuring 6 — 7 cm. in length and 

 caught at Port Louis, Falklands, from July to the middle of August 1902 had dis- 

 tended ovaries and eggs measuring between V2 and ^U mm. in diameter. This in- 

 dicates that their spawning takes place in winter or early in the antarctic spring. 

 In N. coriiceps caught at the same coast in the same month, the ovaries were at 

 their seasonal minimum of development, which indicates quite another spawning sea- 

 son ^ and at the same time that these two last species are not only structurally but 

 also biologically different, in spite of what has been said to the contrary. 



Specimens of Trematoums hansoni georgianits caught in Cumberland Bay, South 

 Georgia, had the ovaries only little developed and eggs measuring about ^/s or 3/4 

 mm. It seems therefore probable that their spawning season should come at the 

 end of the antarctic winter or early spring. 



Among the specimens of Champsocephabis gtoinari caught in the middle of May 

 1902 in a depth of about 100 m., at least one female had the ovaries so greatly 

 extended that the spawning must be quite near at hand. The eggs of this specimen 

 lie in the preserved state so pressed together that their diameter cannot be stated 

 quite exactly, but, judging from the fact that some measure 3 mm. or a little more, 

 others fully 4 mm., it may be supposed that the ripe eggs when ready to be ex- 

 truded have a diameter of at least 4 mm. and become still larger when they have 

 imbibed water. It is not probable that eggs of this great size could be pelagic, nor 

 the larvae developed from them. Other specimens of Champsocephabis gunnari 

 appeared to be just spent, and in the intestinal canal of Notothenia gibberifroiis 

 were found eggs that seemed to have belonged to this species. The latter fact 

 also proves that the eggS in question are demersal as N. gibberifroiis certainly is 

 a bottom fish. 



A female of Artedidraco mints caught the 14th of May 1902 in Cumberland 

 Bay had distended but not yet quite ripe ovaries indicating a spawning season about 

 the middle of the antarctic winter, or perhaps a little earlier. The eggs were already 

 2^ 2 mm. in diameter but may become 3 mm. or more, and are thus without doubt 

 demersal. 



' Smitt has recorded about N. macrocepliala from Punta Arenas that the ovaries were "commençant 

 à renfler" in July. (Poiss. de l'expédition scient, à la Terre de Feu. I. Nototheniœ. Bih. K. Vet. Akad. 

 Handl. Ed. 23. Stockholm 1S97.) 



° Smitt says about this species (I. c.) '"déjà en décembre mais plus encore au mois de mai les œufs 

 sont murs, c'est-à-dire que sa propagation se fait probablement depuis l'été jusqu'à l'automne". 



