THE COD FAMILY AND THE SAND-EELS 26 r 



a large specimen having been estimated to contain from sixty 

 to one hundred million eggs. Such estimates obviously call 

 for a little latitude ; but, even granting this, there can be 

 no doubt of the extraordinary powers of reproduction of the 

 species under notice. The spawning-time is in early summer, 

 between April and June. The egg has a diameter of rather 

 over -^ in., being about the same size as that of the pout, 

 and is deposited at a considerable distance from land. Like 

 that of other members of the cod family, it floats, and it is 

 greenish in colour, and furnished with a single oil-globule. 

 Masterman points out that this last character is not confined 

 to eggs of the gadoid type, but is also found in the eggs of 

 such widely different fishes as the brill and gurnard, as well 

 as in several heavy (demersal) eggs. The capsule of the 

 ling's egg is sensibly tougher than that of many others of 

 the family. 



The eggs deposited at the end of April hatch out 

 in about nine days, and the larva measures about yo ^'^• 

 (or, according to Cunningham, nearer -^ in.), and displays 

 numerous black and yellow spots. The ling of a week old, 

 the latest stage reared in aquarium tanks, shows a still greater 

 development of black and yellow spots, and the eye is bluish. 

 At that stage of its development the mouth is open. Later 

 post-larval stages have been taken in the tow-nets and other- 

 wise, and are described and figured by various writers. At 

 \ in. the eyes are deep blue and comparatively large. At 

 an inch, or rather less, the ventral fins are conspicuous for 

 their length and bright yellow colour. At 3 in. there is 

 a longitudinal brown band, with a lighter yellowish band 

 above and two black dots on the dorsal fins. The ventral 

 fins are in this stage much smaller, and the barbel is more 

 prominent. At a length of 6 or 7 in., or about a year old, 

 the longitudinal bands have disappeared, their place being 

 taken by a series of brown blotches with intervening white 

 spaces, and the fins have numerous dark spots. At 16 in., 



