292 



.Vn.vi. Fin. Five oul of Ilii tirsl vcai spociiuens liave one anal spine; ti oul 

 of 236 of tlie second year, and 3 onl of 24(5 of the oldest specimens. 



Tile averajje number nf anai rays are 10.5(5 for the first year, 10.74 for tlie 

 second year and 11.00 for {hv third year siieriinens. 



The curves in Fig. 7 and Tahle IX, below, show tliat tlie anal fins of the first 

 and second year specimens more nearly resemble each other. All three ages show 

 a preference for 11.00 rays. The percent, of specimens having this number are 

 51.69, 52.53 and 61.60 for the first, second and third year specimens respectively. 

 The percent, of specimens having 10 rays is reduced from 36.43 in the first year to 

 2K.57 in the third year, and the per cent, of those having 12 rays is increased 

 from 5.09 in the first year to 20.10 in the third year. There is a very evident in- 

 crease in the number of s])ines with the age. 



The extent of variation of the second and third year specimens is the same. 

 The first year specimens, altiiough only half as many, exceed the other ages two 

 ravs in the extent of variation. 



TABLE L\. 



