THE SCHOOL OF THE SHORE 45 



in the open sea, embedded in little compartments 

 in a big drifting sheet of violet-grey slime, 

 many feet long. After a while the eggs 

 become 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 extra- 

 ordinary appearance, due to the elongation of 

 its fin-rays into flexible streamers. These 

 have the same use as the slime round the eggs, 

 they secure flotation, 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. 



