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Report on the Eggs and Larvae of Teleostean Fishes 

 observed at Plymouth in the Spring of 1902. 



By 

 Frank Balfour Browne, M.A. (Oxon.). 



In the following pages I have attempted, at Mr. Garstang's suggestion, 

 to record the results of the examination of tow-net stages of Teleostean 

 fishes, as it seemed important to determine to what extent the record 

 for 1897, published by Holt and Scott {Journal M.B. A., v., N.S., p. 156), 

 was representative of the conditions usually prevailing in the Plymouth 

 district. 



The work was begun in February, and the present paper deals with 

 material taken up to the end of April, the collections being made, as 

 a rule, at intervals of two or three days. So far, some interesting 

 differences in the date of the first occurrence of several of the species 

 from what was recorded in 1897 have been observed. 



The first egg of Fleuronedes Jlesus was taken this year on February 

 21st, while in the 1897 record the date of the first capture of this egg 

 was March 30th. It should be noted, however, that Holt and Scott 

 record no observations between March 1st and 30th, so that the 

 difference in date of appearance in this case (as in some others 

 connected with the same period) may be more apparent than real. 



P.microcephalus, first taken this year on February 21st, was found in 

 1897 on January 29th. This species has only occurred occasionally, 

 usually one egg at a time, through the season, and appears to have been 

 as seldom taken in 1897. 



There is no record in 1897 of the occurrence of the eggs of P. 

 limanda. One was taken this year on April 14th, which produced 

 a larva 2"63 mm. in length, with pale yellow pigment, and a larva was 

 also taken on April 21st 3.08 mm. in length, showing the same colour. 



Solea vulgaris has appeared this year two months earlier, and 

 S. variegata, of which I have now had two eggs, three months earlier 

 than in 1897. 



