St. Andreibs Marine Laboratory/. 49 



ments of the animals. The abdomen was deeply pigmented 

 all over with black. The head and anterior region were 

 conspicuous both from the great depth of the opercular region 

 and the development of pigment on the abdomen, so that the 

 aspect was somewhat like that of a tadpole. The eyes were 

 greenish silvery. The pectorals were large and fan-shaped, 

 with reddish and black pigment at the base, the latter ex- 

 tending outward into the tin as long branching lines, which 

 resembled very much the ramifications of rivers in a map. 

 The angle of the mandible projected prominently downward, 

 as it were enclosing the anterior hyoidean region in a deep 

 furrow. The vent now gave passage to minutely granular 

 matter. 



Besides the movements above noted the little turbot occa- 

 sionally swam at the surface on their sides, skimming along 

 with rapidity and moving the hyoidean region actively. They 

 were quick in observing the movements of the minute crusta- 

 ceans and other forms in the vessel, and seemed to dart at 

 them for food. No form hitherto observed at St. Andrews 

 appeared to be more hardy or to undergo the vicissitudes of 

 temperature and manipulation with greater impunity. There 

 are grounds, therefore, for expressing the hope that they may 

 yet be reared in great numbers from the post-larval to the 

 adolescent and adult conditions in suitable enclosures. 



Larval turbot are seldom caught in the tow-nets, though 

 from a figure * of Prof. Marion's either this or the brill occurs 

 off Marseilles on the 2nd of March. Mr. Holt, again, was 

 fortunate in procuring at the surface of the North Sea a series 

 of post-larval forms ranging from 5'50 to 16*25 millim. In 

 these the snout is short and obtuse and the angle of the 

 mandible acute. The tail is narrow and the belly prominent 

 in the smallest example. The tail becomes deeper and the 

 abdomen less projecting at 7 millim. At 13 millim. the right 

 eye appears above the ridge. One of the most interesting 

 ieatures is the presence of an armature of spines, best marked 

 in specimens 10-15 millim. long, on the head behind the eye, 

 on tiie articular region of the mandible, and on the opercular 

 region ; these persist till they reach 25 millim., and Air. Holt 

 has even found traces of them in one example of 175 millim. 



Off the east coast of Scotland pelagic specimens -}-| to 

 IJ inch occur in July, and in August they increase in size 

 and take to the bottom. Thus by aid of a net for capturing 

 sand-eels a series ranging from 41 to 62 millim. were taken at 

 the margin of the estuary of the Eden on the 7th September. 



* Ann. du Miis. d'Hist. Nat. Marseilles, iv. 1, pi. ii. fig. 20. 

 Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. xviii. 4 



