470 Prof. M'Intosh's Notes from the 



most conspicuous feature, however, was the presence of the 

 deep ochre-pigment in the dorsal marginal fin. The first 

 spot occurred at the occiput, and at first sight simulated the 

 long process seen in the larval ArnogJossus *. The marginal 

 fin was continuous and uniform. Behind were other five, 

 very boldly marked, ramose pigment-areas, somewhat conical 

 in shape, the base being at the margin of the muscle-plates of 

 the body. Two less distinctly marked spots existed in the 

 ventral marginal fin, each being somewhat behind the corre- 

 sponding dorsal areas (last two). A series of small stellate 

 chromatophores ran along the margin of the body dorsally 

 and ventrally, commencing behind the occipital pigment- 

 patch dorsally, and numbering about fifteen in that region, 

 while ventrally about fourteen existed between the posterior 

 border of the abdomen and the tip of the tail. Various chro- 

 matophores of the same hue extended over the abdominal 

 surface and the head and cheeks, and many minute dark 

 specks occurred on the same regions as well as on the sides of 

 the body. Along the margin of the body, between the large 

 and small chromatophores, similar pigment caused a series of 

 serrations by transmitted light. The eyes are relatively 

 small and of a bluish silvery aspect. 



After immersion in spirit the body was marked all over 

 with blackish pigment, indicating that perhaps the latter had 

 formerly been obscured by the chrome. 



So far as appearances and general structure go this little 

 post-larval fish closely approaches the condition to be expected 

 in the turbot, ripe ova of which were first procured in the 

 trawling expeditions in July 1884, 



4. On a Post-larval Cottus contrasted with the Gadoids. 



In the mid-water net on the 28th May a post-larval Cottus 

 9 millim. in length occurred. It is easily distinguished from 

 the young Gadoids of the same size, so plentiful at this 

 period, by its shorter snout, smaller mouth, and smaller eye, 

 as well as by the deeper greenish pigment, with a trace of 

 yellow on the head and abdomen. Moreover, the latter is 

 much more densely and somewhat regularly spotted with 

 blackish pigment, the whole having a tesselated aspect. Fur- 

 ther, from the greater tenacity of life in this species the body 

 does not so soon assume the whitish opacity so characteristic 

 of the Gadoids ; indeed, though the specimen was perfectly 

 motionless, the heart was still pulsating. The blackish pig- 



* Vide e. q. Dr. F. Eaffaele's figs. 12 and 18, pi. iii., ' Mittheilung a. d. 

 Zool. Stat, zu Neapel, 8, Bd. i. Heft, 1888. 



