Reproductive Onjans of Spams Centrodontas. 9 



In January. Feb-uarv. March and May some of the testes were ripe. 



In June, July, and August, while there were small ovaries and 

 testes, some spent ovaries were found. 



In September the fishes presented large and small testes, developing 

 ovaries, and spent ovaries and testes. 



In October the testes and ovaries were small and developing ; one 

 ovary Avas spent. 



In November fairly large testes and ovary were tound. ihe hshes 

 had much abdominal fat. 



In December a small testis was growing white; an ovary was 

 developing. A considerable quantity of abdominal fat was present. 



The Ripe Eii<js. 



No ripe ovary was obtained, but in several fishes the old capsules 

 of ripe eggs were still present. The eggs were crushed and dried. 

 Only a little white amorphous matter remained inside. An opaque 

 circular mass, sometimes stained yellow, could be detected in the 

 amoi'phous material. The yellowish mass measured about '27 and '3 

 mm. in diameter. In two cases when the egg was dissected a little 

 white coherent irregular body, measuring about -2 mm. in diameter, 

 was found. This, I think, may be the remains of an oil globule. In 

 September a quantity of unspawned crushed ova remained in an ovary. 

 A bright golden oil globule was present in the egg. In one it 

 measured -25 mm. in diameter. 



The crushed capsules were oval and the eggs had evidently been 

 oval. Several of these capsules were measured; the sizes were as 

 follows:— 1-35 X -8. 1-2 x 75, 1-2 x -75, 1-2 x -75, M x -9, I'O x -85. 

 10 X -Tmm. 



Undescrihed Pelagic Fish Egg. 



An egg which appeared in the surface tow-net collections made in 

 1903 by the Fishery Board, in connection with the International 

 Investigation of the ISIorlh Sea, was remarkable in that it was oval in 

 shape and had an oil globule (Fig. 13). 



The eggs were measured after preservation in formaline solution. 

 The oil globule varied from "17 to -12 mm. in diameter. The following- 

 are the sizes of the eggs in which the oil globule measured -17, \L5. 

 •12 mm. respectively :— Oil globule •17 mm.— eggs, 1-4 x 1^12, 1-37 x 

 M, 1-32 X 1-17. 1-3 X 1^05 mm. Oil globule 15 mm.— eggs, 1-37 x M, 

 1-35 X V2, r35 X r07, 1^35 x 1^05, r32 x M, 1-32 x 1-07, 1-32 x 1-05, 

 1-3 X 1^07, 1^27 X 1^1, 1-25 x 1-1. 1-25 x l-07mm. Oil globule •12mm.— 

 Qgg, rSo X I'l mm. 



I consider that this egg is that of Spar as centrodontus. It was cap- 

 tured in May at points about 40 miles east and 15 to 20 miles west 

 of Shetland respectively. The embryos were all early, except one 

 which extended for about two-thirds round the yolk. One egg was 

 obtained in June, about 20 miles west of Shetland. The embryo was 

 in the disc stage. In August a large number, 84 in all, was obtained 

 off Kinnaird Head, Moray Firth. The exact position was— Troup 

 Head, S.W. by W. ; Kinnaird Head, S.E. | S. The eggs were all 

 recently spawned, the embryo being in the disc stage. A very deep 

 hole (100 fms.) occurs in this vicinity, about six miles off-shore. 



