St. Andrews Marine Laboratory. 193 



both eggs and larvae in the Gulf of Marseilles ; while 

 Mr. Cunningham * found the adults ripe in April, and tlie 

 diameter of the eggs 1*02 millim., but he did not hatch 

 them. 



At St. Andrews the ripe ova fertilized at 9 A.M. on the 

 6th J une were in the multicelled condition at 5.45 P.M. with 

 a perivitelline space. Their diameter varied from '9906 millim. 

 to r02S7 millim. On the 7th the embryo was outlined and 

 the optic vesicles indicated. The eyes of the advanced 

 embryos are silvery, their conspicuous condition being one of 

 the marked features of the egg, and the body, yolk, and head 

 have touches of yellowish pigment. A few were hatched on 

 the 11th June, and the larva measured from 2*3 to 2*4 millim., 

 and somewhat resemble the whiting. The eyes are silvery 

 greenish, the entire head and body being dappled with minute 

 yellow specks. Black chromatophores occur along the ventral 

 border of the muscle-plates, the tip of the tail alone being 

 free from them. A less distinct series runs along the dorsal 

 edge, and a few finely branched specks occur on the head. 

 The rectum terminates blindly at the posterior and upper 

 part of the yolk. In the older larvaj the black pigment had 

 increased along the dorsal and the ventral margins of the 

 muscle-plates. The eyes are silvery by reflected, but have a 

 gorgeous bronzed hue by transmitted light. The yellow 

 specks, moreover, are less conspicuous ; indeed in the oldest — 

 that is, in the early post-larval stage (after the disappearance 

 of the yolk) — this pigment appeared only on the cheeks. 



Both eggs and larvse are somewhat delicate, especially in 

 warm weather. 



3. On the Ova and Larvce of Brosmius brosme. 



The ova of the torsk have a diameter of 1*3335 millim., 

 and are characterized by a zona furnished with a series of 

 boldly marked punctures and a series of intercrossing lines or 

 creases, somewhat like the brill or lemon-dab, and the 

 presence of a large oil-globule of a pale reddish-brown hue 

 under a lens, but pale red by transmitted light, and measuring 

 •2286 to '2667 millim. in diameter. The micropyle resembles 

 that of the haddock. They were fertilized in Shetland on 

 the 21st May, and transmitted to the j\Iarine Laboratory, 

 where they were readily hatched. A feature of interest is the 

 fact that the spermaries are comparatively small, even in a 

 male of good size — reaching only from 2 to 3 inches in length, 

 and having the form of small frilled cords. They thus ditier 



• Joum. Mar. Biol. Assoc, n. s. vol. i. p. 375. 



