IN THK SOUTH-WESTERN DISTRICT. 145 



is there associated evidently with imperfect maturation of the vitellus, 

 and has probably no taxonomic value. If my recollection serves me, it 

 occurs not infrequently in eggs other than those of the Gadidaj. 



Unidentifisd egg, with apparently Gadoid characters. 



Holt, E. W. L., Sci. Trans. E. Dub. Soc, S. II., iv., 1891, p. 471, Vh. XLIX., 



L. Unidentified egg and larva, Sp. viii. 

 Holt, E. W. L., Ann. Mas. Mars., v., 1898, Fasc. II. Egg and larva. 



This species, the " unidentified Gadoid (?) " of our record, is certainly 

 identical with the species of my Irish paper. I am able to add some 

 details omitted in my former description, and have given more detailed 

 figures in my paper in the Annales du Musde de Marseille. 



The Irish specimens, taken in June, measured '775 mm. with an oil- 

 globule of "l-i mm. Examples taken at Plymouth in June and July are 

 from '84 to -91 mm., the oil-globule from '16 to •17 mm. ; in August 

 from -78 to -84 mm,, the oil-globule 'lo to "17 mm. Two out of eleven 

 eggs examined had two oil-globules in the early stages of development. 



The yolk is homogeneous, the oil-globule dark but colourless, the 

 perivitelline space small. The zona is devoid of any distinctive 

 characteristics. 



At about the epoch of the appearance of the caudal rudiment numer- 

 ous minute black chromatophores appear on the trunk of the embryo and 

 about the posterior hemisphere of the yolk. Very soon afterwards small 

 yellow chromatophores are seen in company with the black. They are 

 of a canary-yellow by reflected, golden-brown by transmitted light. 

 Usually they rapidly assume a dendritic form, imparting to the region 

 affected a diffuse yellow colouration, and practically masking the black 

 chromatophores. In some cases, however, they remain simple, and 

 the appearance of the embryo is greatly affected by their condition. 

 Individuals showing the extremes of expansion and contraction of 

 the chromatophores might readily be referred to separate species. 



As is shown in my figures in the Sci. Trans. R. Dub. Soc, PI. X., Pig. 

 54, the larva appears to be Gadoid in character, that is to say the 

 intestine terminates below the trunk, and does not extend to the edge 

 of the ventral marginal fin-fold. This condition is well known to occur, 

 exceptionally, in larva) in no way related to the Gadoids, but its 

 occurrence as a constant feature has only been observed within the 

 limits of that group. Our knowledge of the Teleosteau larva' generally 

 is not such as to justify us in saying that a larva of this character is 

 necessarily Gadoid, although the presumption, whatever it may be 

 worth, points in that direction. 



1 have examined at Plymouth five larvte. All are recently hatched. 



