LARVAL AND POST-LARVAL FLSHES llKCiAN. 



131 



Ph'}ira(jr(tniniii anfurcfii'tini, V>n\\\v\\)X.. (PI. II, fio-.s. 8-G). 



Laiv.il ,111(1 |)()st-larval examples were taken 'ny tlic '" Diseovery " at Ross Island, 

 at a (le])tli of (I to 10 fathoms. 



Date of Capture. 



December 14tli, 1902 

 December 25th, 1902 

 February 8th, 1904 

 February 21st, 1902 

 April, 1903 

 May 23rd, 1902 

 August 13th, 1903 

 September 18th, 1903 



Length. 

 6-7 mm. 



8-10 mm. 

 9-1 .") mm. 

 1 5- I 9 mm. 

 1 5-25 mm. 

 24 mm. 



15- 



:o mm. 



20-25 mm. 



The ■■ Terra Nova" also secured specimens from the Ross Sea and the coast of 

 Victoria Land : 



Station. Date. 



Near 186 December 31st, 1910 



325 August 8th, 1911 



326 January 9th, 1912 

 337 January 22nd, 1912 

 325 April 30th, 1912 



Locality. Length. 



Ross Sea, 190 fatlioms 30-35 mm. 



Cape Evans, 10 metres 16-18 mm. 



Terra Nova Bay, 10 metres 10 mm. 



Cape Bird, 80 metres 10 mm. 



Cape Evans, 10 metres 22-25 mm. 



From these data it seems probaljle that Plcurtigrdnnnd may breed in the early 

 Antarctic summer, that the eggs may hatch out about the beginning of December, that 

 the ne\vl\' liatched larvae may be 6 mm. long or a little less, that by the winter they may 

 reach a lens.th of 15 to 25 mm., and wlien a vear old ma\' be as much as 35 mm. lono-. 

 Larval and post-larval examples have been taken not far from the coast and at depths 

 not exceeding 80 metres. Young fish (30 to 35 mm.) in the Ross Sea at a depth of 

 190 fiithoms, and adults from the Ross Sea, 158 fathoms, from near the Balleny 

 Islands, 254 ffithoms, in addition to examples found frozen on the ice barrier and 

 others taken from seals' stomachs. 



Larvae of 6-7 mm. are very similar to those of NototJienia from tlie Falklands. 

 Figures (PI. II) are given of examples (>, 1 1 • 5, 13 • 5 and 25 mm. long. It will be noted 

 that the permanent caudal rays are making their appearance in the larva of 1 1 mm. , 

 and that in the larger ones they have assumed their final position. The differentiation 

 of the dorsal and anal rays proceeds from behind forwards, and the full number is not 

 developed until a length of 30 mm. is reached. Pectoral tins arc present from the first, 

 l)ut the pelvies are rudimentary in fish of 25 to 35 mm. and are al)sent in smaller ones. 

 The pigmentation at the ])ases of tlie vertical fins and on the doi-sal surface of the 

 abdominal cavity appears to be characteristic. 



In these larval and post-larval Pleuragramma the eye is proportionately smaller 

 than in the adult fish, no doubt because the latter descend to greater depths. 



