4(; INLAND FISHERIES. 



seveu were beginning- to change color ; in three, immature but 

 showing seasonal development ; in only two specimens were the 

 glands very small. 



March 7, Rocky Point : Ninety-nine specimens, measuring 2 

 to 3^ inches. Five specimens were apparently fully ripe ; seventy- 

 one specimens nearly ripe (very large glands); in twenty, the glands 

 showed the pink color slightly ; in two the glands were small, but 

 showed seasonal development ; only one specimen had very small 

 glands. 



It is evident that, during the latter part of January and through- 

 out the month of February, there is a regular increase in the size 

 of the sexual glands in nearly all the starfishes from Rocky Point, 

 Mt. Hope Bay, and Kickemuit river. By the end of the first week 

 in March, the great majority of the stars have the appearance of 

 being nearly mature, while the remainder, except in a few speci- 

 mens, show a distinct seasonal growth in the sexual glands. The 

 stars are at this time beginning to look " fat," because of the in- 

 creased size of these glands and of the digestive glands, usually 

 called the " liver," which fill the arms. 



April 5, Rocky Point : 197 specimens examined, varying in 

 length from 2 to 4 inches. Of these, 137 had the appearance of 

 being fully ripe ; 32 were nearly ripe ; in 20 the glands were be- 

 ginning to show the pink color ; in 9 they were smaller, but showed 

 seasonal development ; in one only were the glands very small. 



April 13 : Twenty-five specimens, out of a basketful from Mt. 

 Hope Bay, were examined. All seemed to be ripe, and so the ex- 

 amination was not carried further. 



Although at this time, i. e., during the first two weeks of April, 

 the stars are all apparently ripe, they do not discharge the pro- 

 ducts for about two months. During this time they have the 

 appearance of being extremely "fat." 



On May 17, the stars were examined again in Kickemuit river 

 and Mt. Hope Bay, and appeared very much as in April. They 

 were, perhaps, more distended with spawn and milt, but had not 

 yet discharged. 



