+ 
but found no stage similar to the remarkable post-larval specimen figured by 
Agassiz. His specimen resembled rather the post-larval stage obtained by 
MacIntosh. Williamson made a further study of the larval Angler, showing 
some minor points of difference, but with results agreeing essentially with those 
of Prince. In all cases where the eggs have been found floating in the sea or 
thrown up on the shore they contained embryos at well advanced stages or about 
to hatch. So far as the writer can ascertain none of the earlier stages following 
fertilization have been hitherto observed. 
On June 24th, 1910, eggs of Lophius were found by the Indians at Pleasant 
Point at the entrance of Passamaquoddy Bay. It was noted at the time that 
the oil-globules in the eggs gave the entire mass a pink shade. A portion of 
the mucous band containing the eggs was preserved in formalin at the Biological 
Station, St. Andrews, N.B., and later transferred to alcohol. These eggs I 
examined and found that they were in a very early stage of development; they 
must have been taken shortly after fertilization. On account of the manner of 
preservation, however, the eggs had undergone a considerable shrinkage. They 
were all approximately in the same stage of development, and showed the 
blastodisc divided into numerous cells or blastomeres at one pole of the egg and 
a large oil-globule at the other. The greatest diameter of the egg measured 
1.7 mm. The oil-globule measured 0.37 mm. in diameter. The egg capsule 
showed distinct criss-cross markings, and a very thin layer of protoplasm which 
surrounded the yolk ball after the blastodisc was formed, appeared shrunken 
but was held fixed to the periphery by the blastodisc at one pole and by the 
oil-globule at the opposite pole. 
Further material was available during the summer of 1919 and on examina- 
tion proved to contain embryos in very early stages of development. Portions 
of a band of mucus containing eggs were picked up at Deer Point, Campobello, 
on August 9th, 1916, and preserved in formalin. The mucous substance is 
quite transparent and its presence in the preserving fluid is inferred from the 
fixed positions which eggs maintain with respect to one another. Of the large 
number of eggs examined all were in process of development. A large number 
of the eggs, however, were quite opaque and difficult to examine. In these the 
blastoderm had covered less than half of the yolk, and on being placed in formalin 
suffered considerable shrinkage and distortion. The embryonic shield, with its 
early differentiation of the embryonic axis rising from the embryonic ring, was 
visible and at its anterior portion the head end appeared as a slight expansion 
while posteriorly the caudal portion of the embryo projected downward for a 
slight distance. Worthy of note is the very early pigmentation. The embryonic 
shield and the lateral portions of the embryo were covered with black pigment 
spots, circular in outline, but the neural region of the embryo remained free of 
pigment, except for one or two patches in the head region. The pigmented 
area apparently extends over the embryonic shield, though it was not possible 
to determine accurately the limits of the shield which gradually merges into the 
rest of the blastoderm. 
In a large percentage of the eggs the blastoderm covered more than half 
of the yolk, and in these no distortion occurred. The eggs were transparent 
116 
