40 On the Fishes tdlcn hi/ the ' Oceana.^ 



(Iocs not seem to be attained until a length of more than 

 KK) mm. is reached. 



'J'he eireuRistanecs under which the "Porcupine Bank" 

 a(hilts were captured and the fact that a specimen was found 

 in the stomach of a bottom-haunting fish {Sci/IUtim canicula) 

 at tl)c same place indicate that this species may be a normal 

 inliabitant of the bottom at considerable distances from laud 

 if not at great depths. 



An adult female from that locality is about 20 em. in 

 length and an ovigcrous male measures about 15 cm. It 

 seems to us that they really represent a distinct variety of 

 the species ; but beyond the smaller size we cau seize on no 

 character susceptible of intelligible diagnosis. 



? Macrurus sp. 



Two considerably damaged larva?, with the yolk nearly 

 absorbed and the mouth apparently functional, may possil)ly 

 be !Macrnrids. Each is about 55 mm. in total length and 

 about 1-75 mm. in prcanal length ; the postanal part of the 

 body is very elongate and slender. Neither is in a condition 

 to admit of a detailed description being given. 



? Hippoylossus vulgaris, Flem. 



A vitelligerous larva, with a total length of 105 mm. and a 

 prcanal length of 4 mm., appears to be a Pleuroneetid ; the 

 body-segments cannot be counted with great accuracy, but 

 probably number about forty-eight ; the yolk-sac is still very 

 large and the mouth not yet functional. The specimen is 

 somewhat damaged and darkly stained by the preserving 

 medium. The marginal larval fin — whether naturally or 

 otherwise — appears to be much vacuolated, especially 

 dorsally, while the only visible pigment consists of a few 

 stellate chromatophores in the roof of the body-cavity. 



If this lai'va is correctly identified as a Pleuroneetid, it 

 can only be attributed to the halibut, both on account of its 

 size and by a process of elimination. We are unaware of 

 any description of a larval halibut* which can be used for 

 purposes of comparison, and our identification must for the 

 present remain tentative only. The specimen is not in a 

 condition to render a detailed description useful. 



* We have already (Department of Agriculture for Ireland, lieport on 

 Fi^'heries for 1901, pt. ii. p. 07 [190-3') <riven our reasons fnr rejrarding 

 the larva tentatively attributed to the halibut by Petersen (itep. Danish 

 Biological Station, iv. p. 130 [1893]) as a youn\^ Pleurouecfi's ct/uof/loasuHf 

 and we think that the larval forms fcince described by Kyle (M. B. A. 

 Journal, vi. p. U18 [1903]) a« //. vulgaris or P. ci/nofflossus are also refer- 

 able to the latter species. 



