Holt — On the Eggs and Larvce of Teleosteans. 451 



2*5 mm. long, that of C. pavo being longer and more advanced. In both the 

 mouth is unformed, the notochord is multicolumnar, and the anus posterior to 

 median, with a considerable embryonic pre-anal fin. In addition to yellow pig- 

 ment, there are very large stellate chromatophores of bright blue, a colour not 

 usually met with in body pigment of teleostean larvae. There is no pigment on 

 the marginal fins. 



List further observes that the zona is divisible into two layers — the outer 

 consisting of regular hexagonal prisms, whilst the inner is faintly stratified. 

 M'Intosh and Prince {op. cit., p. 673) show that the zona of Liparis montagui 

 exhibits similar hexagonal markings, but do not record an inner layer. The 

 condition recalls that of Callionymus and other forms. 



Merluccius vulgaris (Cuv.). The Hake. 



A female with nearly ripe ovaries occurred in the trawl in Inver Bay, on the 

 25th June. 



A few translucent and apparently ripe ova were obtained ; they were not quite 

 spherical, having a long diameter of l"35mm. and a short diameter of TOSmm., 

 with a single large oil-globule of -30 mm. 



Eaffaele (oji?. cit., p. 37) gives 0-94— 1 '03 mm. with oil-globule •27 mm. as the 

 dimensions of the ova of this species, which he describes as spherical. 



The spheroidal condition of my ova was perhaps abnormal, as they were not 

 perfectly fresh when measured, but they were certainly larger than in the Medi- 

 terranean form. 



According to Raffaele this species spawns at the end of January in the Medi- 

 terranean. Brook gives March to May, and June to September as the spawning 

 period on the west and east coasts of Scotland, respectively, quoting Couch to the 

 effect that the period on the Cornish coast is August. 



The large size of the oil-globule renders this a very conspicuous egg, which 

 should be easily recognized if obtained in the tow-nets. 



Macrurid^. 



Macrurus, species ? 



Amongst the contents of the trawl from 450 fathoms off Achill Island, on the 

 10th July, were two large females, of a species not yet identified,* with enlarged 

 ovaries. 



* Since identified as M. rupestris. 



THAKS. EOT. DUB. SOC, N.S. VOL. IV., PAEI VII. 3 S 



