118 Prof. M'liitosli's Notes from the 



foetus between 16 and 17 inches in lenjjtli (6tli February) 

 the pigment outlined in the early example had become of a 

 deep black hue — fading at the edges to the pale tint oE the 

 ventro-lateral region. Thus in the white form traces of 

 embryonic hues have been retained. 



Variations in colour are known in other Cetaceans, such 

 as the iiumpback whales, schools of which have the belly 

 nearly white, others with a marbled under surface, and a 

 third series with the bellies entirely dark *. Similar 

 variations are noted by the old authors, by Prof. Collett t and 

 Mr. Lillie %, amongst the rorquals {Balanoptera musculus, 

 B. sibbaldii, and B. borealis). In remarking on three 

 variations — viz., dark and two lighter-coloured phases — 

 Mr. Lydekker § is inclined to think these are not due to 

 race but to age. So far as observed, however, the common 

 cetaceans of Britain do not appear to lend much support to 

 this A'iew, or to the statement that the dark-tailed rorquals 

 specially feed on herrings and pilchards and the lighter- 

 coloured forms on crustaceans. 



2. 071 the Spawming of the Hake (Meiluccius merluccius, L.). 



The hake is by no means a common fish on the eastern 

 shores of Scotland, indeed Parnell || states that " it is seldom 

 met with on the east coast of Scotland. About two years 

 ago, a single specimen was taken in a stake-net at Mussel- 

 burgh and sent to the Edinburgh market, where it. appeared 

 to be unknown." Couch ^, again, thought it one of the 

 commonest fishes round the British Islands, though this 

 refers chiefly to the southern shores, and that its spawning- 

 season ''is the early months of the year, although this is 

 liable to variation, as, indeed, is the case with most fishes, so 

 that in the cold season of 1837 the spawning of hakes was 

 not accomplished until August." Day adds nothing to the 

 knowledge of its spawning. Kingsley and Conn allude to 

 the egg from the American coast and give a figure. 

 M'Intosh and Masterman '^'^ observe "that Dr. Raff'aele, at 

 Naples, " mentions that ripe specimens occur in January," 

 and they appear to continue till May ff. " In British waters 

 the spawning-period seems to extend from January to July 

 inclusive, Mr. Cunningham having found one perfectly ripe 



* Morch, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1911, part iii. p. 663. 



t Ihid. 1886, pp. 209-251. 



X Ihid. 1910, p. 783. § Ibid. 1911, p. 424. 



II ' Fishes of the Forth,' p. 351 (1837). 



If ' Fishes of the Brit. Islands,' vol. iii. pp. 99 & 100. 

 ** ' British Marine Food-Fishes,' p. 274 (1897). 



tt ' Le uovo galleggianti, &c.' p. 37 (1888), Taf. 1. figs. 28, 29, and Taf. 3. 

 iig. 1 (larva). 



