IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN DISTRICT. 137 



A. lophotcs. The latter, however, as has already been noted, seems to 

 be unknown at IMarseilles, where A. Grohmanni is common. It is not 

 likely that so well-marked a form as A. lophotcs would have escaped 

 the keen attention of Professor Marion and his subordinates, if it ever 

 ventured into a region whence the very rapidly developing ova could 

 have found their way into our hand-net, never employed far out at 

 sea. The economic value even of such a comparatively small fish as 

 the scaldback in its " Lophotes " form, would certainly ensure its 

 prompt recognition in the Marseilles market; although, as we know, 

 its worthlessness from the point of view of the British consumer long 

 concealed the very same fish from the knowledge of naturalists in this 

 country, I think it is almost certain that the scaldback is only present 

 in the Marseilles grounds in its small undifierentiated form. 



On our own coast, when I have trawled large differentiated and small 

 undifferentiated A. laterna in company, I have found the ovaries of the 

 first the more advanced, whereas the tow-net eggs of A. laterna began 

 to occur before those referred to A. Grohmanni. This argument, it 

 must be confessed, would have more weight if the numbers were 

 larger. 



Solea variegata. Donov. Thick-back. 



Cunniugbam, J. T., Journ. M. B. Assoc, N.S., i., 1889, p. 23, Figs. 1-1, 15. 



Ovarian egg and tow-net egg referred to S. variegaia. 

 Cunninghain, J. T., Treatise on the Common Sole, 1890, p. 90, Pis. XVI., XVII. 



Egg, vitelligerous larva. 



Only one egg of this species was taken during 1897. It occurred 

 on the 27th July between the Eddystone and Hand deeps. The adult 

 seems to be oftener found outside the Eddystone than on the grounds 

 nearer shore. The egg was first examined by Mr. Beaumont, and had 

 died before I looked at it on the following day ; there was, however, 

 but little evidence of decomposition. The embryo, devoid of a caudal 

 rudiment, showed only yellow pigment. The cortical vesicles of the 

 yolk were quite apparent. I counted in all thirty-seven yellow oil- 

 globules ranging in diameter from '03 to '11 mm., but for the most part 

 exceeding '05 mm. Mr. Beaumont observed no material change in 

 this respect since the egg was examined on the previous day. The 

 diameter of the whole egg was I'll mm. 



I have made no effort to ascertain the duration of the spawning 

 season, but as Cunningham records the occurrence of a ripe female 

 on the 30th May, it is evident that our specimen belongs to a late 

 clutch. The diameter is '20 less than that of the tow-net egg recorded 

 by Cunningham as having occurred on the 17th July. 



