THE SCHOOL OF THE SHORE 45 



the open sea, embedded in little compartments 

 in a big drifting sheet of violet-grey slime, 

 many feet long. After a while the eggs be- 

 come separated from the sheet and float singly. 

 The newly hatched young one floats also, with 

 its heavy head downwards (see Fig. 7, p. 93), 

 'and the tip of its tail just touching the surface 

 film. It is still living on the yolk of the egg 

 which is uppermost in the water. After a 

 fortnight has passed the yolk is exhausted; the 

 young fish is superficially like a tadpole; it 

 opens its mouth and begins to fend for itself. 

 For a long time, however, it lives an Open- 

 Sea life, and it has an extraordinary appear- 

 ance, due to the elongation of its fin-rays into 

 flexible streamers. These have the same use 

 as the slime round the eggs, they secure flota- 

 tion, first at the surface, and then in the upper 

 layers. This is, on the whole, a very safe 

 cradle, and there is an abundance of living 

 minutiae to eat. Gradually the head of the 

 larval angler broadens out enormously behind 

 the eyes, and these are shifted to the top. The 

 seaweed-like tags of skin become numerous, 

 the long fin-tassels disappear. The young fish 

 comes near shore and sinks to the bottom 

 there to remain for the rest of its life. 



