IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN DISTRICT. 141 



were taken on the Gth February, 1888. I should myself regard this 

 date as rather early for the species, but as my observations are far 

 from complete, I am not inclined to set my own opinion against 

 Cunningham's. 



To return to Gadus liiscus, the smallest Gadoid fish whicli can with 

 certainty be referred to this species is 18 mm. long. The depth of the 

 body is quite characteristic. Eows of dark chromatophores extend at 

 the bases of the dorsal and anal fins to the first third of the posterior 

 fin : each series is connected by a more or less continuous sheet of 

 chromatophores which extends forwards, supra-abdominally to the top 

 of the head. Dark patches are present on the distal part of the first 

 and second dorsal and first anal fin. As this and a few other specimens 

 of only a slightly larger size occurred at the end of May and beginning 

 of June, it would appear that the rate of growth is slow, unless, as is 

 probable enough, these examples were derived from late-spawned ova 

 of small parents. 



Gadus pollachius. Limi. Pollack, lythe. 



M'lntosl), W. C. nth Ann. Re})., S. F. B., 1893, p. 246: Dimensiotis of egg. 



\i.th Ann. Rep., 1896, p. 171, PI. V. : Egg, larva. 

 Holt, E. W. L. Sci. Trans. B. Bub. Soc, S. II., v., 1893, p. 55. Egg. 



So far as they have been observed from material directly derived 

 from the parent the egg measures, after fertilisation, from 110 to 1'14 

 mm., but as there is a large range of size among female pollack which 

 have attained to sexual maturity, it is probable that the eggs show 

 a more extensive variation than has been noted. The larva is only 

 known from a prematurely hatched and obviously abnormal specimen 

 figured by M'Intosh. It is impossible to say how far the pigmentation 

 is characteristic of the normal condition, but Mr. Scott's notes deal with 

 a larva which closely corresponds in this respect to M'Intosh's figure, 

 and which appears to be perfectly healthy. It was hatched from ova of 

 1"40 to 1'45 mm. in diameter, taken a mile outside the Breakwater, on 

 the 5th February. The larva measures 42 mm. in length, and has 

 a single lateral row of stellate black chromatophores extending from 

 the head to about midway along the tail. No other pigment was 

 observed. The conformation, being that common to the genus, calls for 

 no special remark. Mr. Scott has noted the resemblance, in character 

 of egg and larva, to the haddock, G. cvglefinus. The pigment, however, 

 is more regular than in the haddock, which, in any case, is on account 

 of its rarity practically eliminated from consideration. I believe that 

 we have to do with the offspring of a large pollack, and that Mr. Scott 

 has been the first to observe a normal larva of that species. I have no 



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