48 Unusual Modes of 



A careful examination of eiglit specimens of Njinge-njinge 

 about nine inches long, gave the following results: 



The eo'ors in all instances were carried in the mouths of the 

 males. This protection, or gestation of the eggs by the males, 

 corresponds wnth what has been lona^ noticed with reo;ard to other 

 fishes, as for example, Syngnathus where the marsupial pouch for 

 the eggs or young is found in the males only, and Gasterosteus 

 where the male constructs the nest and protects the eggs during 

 incubation, from the voracity of the females. 



In some individuals the eggs had been recently laid, in others 

 they were hatched, and the foetus had grown at the expense of 

 some other food than that derived from the yolk, as this last was 

 Dot proportionally diminished in size, and the foetus weighed more 

 than the undeveloped egg. The number of eggs contained in the 

 mouth was between twenty and thirty. The mouth and branchial 

 cavities were very much distended, rounding out and distorting 

 the whole hyoid and branchiostegal region. Some of the eggs 

 even partially protruded from the mouth. 



The ova were not bruised or torn as if they had been bitten, or 

 forcibly held by the teeth. In many instances the foetuses were 

 still alive, though the parent had been dead for many hours. 



No young or eggs were found in the stomach, although the 

 mouth was crammed to its fullest capacity. 



The above observations apply to Njinge-njinge. With regard 

 to Jarra-bakka, I had but few opportunities for dissection, but in 

 several instances the same conditions of the e^^s, were noticed as 

 stated above ; and in one instance, besides some nearly mature 

 foetuses contained in the mouth, two or three were squeezed ap- 

 parently from the stomach; but not bearing any marks of violence 

 or of the action of the gastric fluid. It is probable that these 

 found their way into that last cavity after death, in consequence 

 of the relaxation of the sphincter which separates the cavities of 

 the mouth and the stomach. These facts lead to a conclusion that 

 this is a mouth gestation, as the eggs are found there in all stages 

 of development, and even for some time after they are hatched. 



The question will be very naturally asked, how under such cir- 

 cumstances, these fishes are able to secure and swallow their food. 

 I have made no observations bearing upon such a question. 

 Unless the food consists of very minute particles, it would seem 

 necessary that during the time of feeding the eggs should be dis- 

 gorged. If this supposition be correct, it would give a very pro- 



