189 ] 



BISCAYAN PLANKTON. 



Part X.— THE PISHES. 



By E. W. L. Holt and L. W. Byrne. 

 (^Communicated by Dr. G. Herbert Fowler, F.L.S.) 



Eead 6th December, 1906. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Page 

 I. Iiitroductiou 189 



II. The Vertical Distribution of Ova and Larvte 190 



III. The Species of Fish captured 192 



Si0MiATiDJ3. Stomias boa, Risso 193 



Argyropelecus spp 193 



Maurolicus borealis, Nilsson 19-t 



Gonostoma hatliypMliim (Vaillant) 194 



Gonostoma inicrodon, Giinther 194 



" Prsescope " Larva 195 



ANGUiiLULiDiE. Cowjer vuhjaris, Cuvier ; Larva 197 



ScoPELiD^. ScopehiS Rqfinesqtn, Cocco 197 



Seopelus glacialis, Eeiuhardt 197 



Scopelid Larva, "El" 198 



„ "R2" 198 



„ . „ "R3" 19S 



" Periscope " Larva 199 



SrNGNATHiDiE. Nerophis (fquoreus, var. exilis, Holt & lijTno 200 



Caeaxgidj:. Caranx trachurus, L 200 



iNCEKTiE SBDis. " Long-aual " Larva 200 



" Scorpfeniforra " Larva 201 



'' Trigloid " Larva 201 



I. Introduction. 



There are probably few classes whose representatives (and especially larvce and ova) 

 sLitf'ei' more from the ordinary processes of capture in a tow-net, and from preserv'ation in 

 company with numerous other animals, than fishes. It is consequently not ia the least 

 surprising that the results of our examination are very meagre in comparison with the 

 amount of material submitted to us. This is, we think, inevitable, unless an expedition 

 is so well provided with observers as to make it possible immediately to pick out and 

 preserve fish larvaj and ova as soon as the contents of a tow-net are brought on board. 



So far as the condition of our specimens bears any relation to the preserving media 

 used, those which have been preserved in a weak solution of formalin appear to be most 

 satisfactory ; a good many tubes, however, contain larvic blackened and shrivelled 

 beyond recognition, probably as a result of over-fixing in some solution containing osmic 

 acid or corrosive sublimate. 



A practical observation that seems called for by the nature of the results attained is 



SECONU SERIES. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. X. 33 



