102 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
The ‘“‘kavaiya”’ (Anabas) and the “ koraliya” (Hiroplus sura- 
tensis) occur almost entirely in the maritime districts, and are 
therefore not suitable for stocking waters too far inland.* The eggs 
of “‘koraliya” are attached to the lower surfaces of stones and logs 
and are watched over by the male. On May 21, 1909, a koraliya 
nest was found in the Wellawatta canal, in the part called Paman- 
kada-ela, near the Spinning and Weaving Mills, beyond the Hilapane 
palama on the road to Nugegoda. I went there about 11.30 a.m. 
and saw the adults, both male and female, keeping guard. When 
the man who was with me advanced his hand to the small stone 
projecting from the bank of the canal under which the eggs were 
attached, the smaller, male, with cross markings conspicuous over 
fore body, approached and pecked at the man’s fingers. The 
larger, female, kept a little in the background in deeper water. Hach 
time the man touched the stone the male bit at his hand. The eggs 
were attached contiguously in a single layer on the underside of the 
stone, which was partially imbedded in the earth at the base of the 
bank of the canal. Some of the eggs were white, indicating failure 
and death. The living eggs were in an advanced stage of develop- 
ment, the embryo being formed and the yolk pigmented. The yolk 
is yellow, opaque, and darkly pigmented, but no pigment was 
present in the eye. The circulation of the blood is active, and the 
embryo can change its position within the egg membrane. In an 
egg under observation the free end of the membrane was already 
ruptured, and at one moment the head was partially extruded, 
exposing the eyes and the heart, and was then withdrawn again. | 
The surface of the egg appeared minutely rogulose. The length of 
the egg, without the short stalk, is 2mm., the width 1 mm., slightly 
narrower at the free end. Within 24 hours after finding the nest 
one of the eggs hatched out, the top of the egg membrane lifting up 
like a lid ; there is stillno pigment in the eyes, and no mouth ; Jength 
5mm. On the second day after hatching pigment begins to appear 
in the eyes, and on the third day, when the larva is 6 mm. long, 
the mouth opens and respiratory movements commence; foreign 
particles were noted adhering to what looked like a cement organ 
at the front of the head. The eggs of koraliya are very difficult to 
rear when removed from their proper habitat. On May 23, and 
again on June 1, more eggs were found attached to coconut husks, 
branches, and stones at Hunupitiya, Colombo, opposite the Bud- 
dhist temple. On October 28, 1909, another series of koraliya eggs 
containing formed embryos with pigmented yolk sac was found at 
Hunupitiya, in the Colombo lake, attached to the outer surface 
of a short length of water-logged bamboo stem. ‘This species is, 
therefore, a perennial spawner. 
On May 26 a native tile (uluketa) was brought to me from , 
Welikada with a large patch of green waving spawns attached in 


* Kavaiya occurs in the great tanks, as at Kanthalai and Minneriya. 
