Holt — On the Eggs and Larvae of Teleosteans. 471 



larva, but it may more usually be looked upon as an indication of approaching 

 moribundity. 



The pigment is remarkable at this stage (fig. 25). It is of two colours : — (1) A 

 deep bluish-black, perhaps the "nero violacee" of Raffaele, distributed in rounded 

 chromatophores along the top of the head and dorsum (except the posterior fifth), 

 and more sparingly in the renal region and over the oil-globule. (2) Bright 

 reddish-brown, appearing much the same by reflected and transmitted light, very 

 thickly scattered in small chromatophores all over the head and trunk, except the 

 posterior fifth, where it is confined to the dorsal and ventral regions ; it is less 

 abundant on the eyes, and there are two small chromatophores, with the black, 

 over the oil-globule. A little of this reddish pigment also occurs on the part of the 

 yolk immediately adjacent to the head. 



These ova present a close resemblance both in dimensions and pigmentation, to 

 those of Hemitripterus americanus, identified by Agassiz and Whitman from a 

 series of young forms obtained In the tow-nets. 



The Scorpjenidse, to which Hemitripterus belongs, are only represented on the 

 Irish coast by Bcorpcena dactyloptera (a few specimens from deep water),* and 

 Sehastes norvegkus^ which is also rare. 



The ova of the former probably resemble those of the Mediterranean species 

 described by Raffaele, which adhere together in masses and are destitute of oil- 

 globules, whilst Sebastes is a viviparous form. 



Our ova also present some resemblances to those of Sargus and Box, described 

 by Raffaele {op. cit.^ p. 23), who remarks that they spawn all the summer. Very 

 little information as to the breeding season of the British Sparidse is forthcoming, 

 Day's conjecture {op. cit., vol. i., p. 37) that Pagellus centrodontus spawns in the 

 winter months being probably due to a misconception of the rate of growth of the 

 young. 



Species VIII. 



(PI. XLix., fig. 27; PI. L., fig. 36.) 



This pelagic ^^^ occurred in the sui'f ace-net in Blacksod Bay on the 14th, and 

 in Clew Bay on the 30th June. 



It is spherical, with a diameter of "775 mm., and a single colourless oil-globule 

 of "14 mm. 



At the "stage shown in fig. 27 the embryo is fairly advanced, but as yet the 

 free caudal region is short. Small, rather pale yellow chromatophores occur 

 sparingly over the general surface of the yolk sac, very abundantly over the 



* The young of this species were obtained in considerahle numbers, in 80 fathoms, off the Skelligs in 

 August, during the latter part of the cruise of the " Fingal." 



