IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN DISTRICT. Ill 



of about 30 mm, has been taken during 1897 at the surface,* while 

 there is no record, that I know of, of the occurrence of any other 

 species at the surface at such an advanced stage of development.! The 

 Bohlislan examples of T. nigripcs may therefore be derived, in all 

 probability, from North Sea parents rather than from the few adults 

 of the Norwegian coast. 



Callionymus lyra. Linn. Dragonet, Skulpin, Sting-fish. 



M'Intosh, W. C, Ann. Nut. Hist., 18S5, p. 480. Ovarian egg. 



Holt, E. W. L., Sci. Trans. R. Diib. Soc, S. II., ir., 1891, p. 442, PI. LI. Egg 



and larva of C. lyra or C. maculatus. 

 Cunningham, J. T., Journ. M. B. Assoc, N.S., ii., 1891, p. 89, V\. V. Egg 



and larva. 

 Prince, E. E., Ninth Ann. Rep. S.F.B., 1891, p. 349, PI. XIII. Egg and larva. 

 Holt, E. W. L., Sci. Tram. R. Dub. Soc, S. II., 1893, p. 36, PI. III. Egg, 



larva, metaino7'phosing stages. 



Mr. Scott's observations show that the dragonet begins to spawn 

 in January. It is one of the commonest fishes in the Plymouth 

 district, and I think that our records show that the eggs are deposited, 

 in some instances, in or near the Sound, as well as out towards the 

 Eddystone, which seems to be one of the chief haunts of the larger 

 members of the species. 



The other British member of the genus, C. maculatus, has only 

 recently been found on the south-west coast, one specimen having 

 been trawled in Falmouth Bay and another off the Plymouth Mewstone. 

 It is probable that the two species lay eggs which closely resemble 

 each other, but as 0. lyra is a far larger form than C. maculatus, I 

 imagine that a corresponding difference holds good with regard to the 

 ovarian products. I have been able to assign a Mediterranean tow-net 

 egg, with a reasonable degree of probability, to C. maculatus. It is 

 •73 mm. in diameter, and the early larva is quite destitute of black 

 pigment. The zona radiata resembles that of C. lyra, but the latter 

 species is extremely rare at Marseilles. 



In the first description which I gave of the larva of C. lyra, from 

 the Irish coast, I omitted all mention of black chromatophores, having 

 failed to observe any. The correctness of my description in this 

 respect was challenged independently by Cunningham and Prince, 

 while I myself had noticed black pigment in embryos of C. lyra 

 before the papers referred to appeared. A re-examination of the only 

 preserved specimen of those on which I had based my first description, 



• In July, exact date not recorded : another was seen about the same time. 



t I am not speaking of large specimens. I have been credibly informed of instances 

 of a large gurnard pursuing smaller fish at the surface. As a matter of fact the only 

 species identified was T. hiricndo. 



