246 



MARKETABLE BRITISH MARINE FISHES 



species arc common off the east coast of Scotland, and became 

 familiar to naturalists long before it was known to what fish 

 they belonged. At the latter end of March 1885 and 1886, the 

 author obtained eggs about ten miles east of the Isle of May, 

 which were distinguished by the great width of the space within 

 the egg-membrane. At that time no other floating eggs having 

 this character had been seen. The egg proper within the en- 

 closing membrane was similar to that of plaice or dab, having a 

 simple yolk without oil globule. The breadth of the whole egg. 



Fig. 112. — Egg of the Long Rough Dalj, ahve and magnified. 



that is of the spherical membrane, was 2'i mm. (just over jV 

 inch), a little greater than that of the plaice e.gg. But the egg 

 proper within the membrane was only 12 mm. (about ^V inch). 

 In the memoir of Mcintosh and Prince, published in 1889, the 

 egg is again described, and also the larva hatched from it, but 

 its parentage had not been ascertained. The ripe eggs of the 

 long rough dab were obtained from the fish by Mr. Holt on 

 April 9th, 1 89 1, outside Galway Bay, and were artificially 

 fertilised. He found that the)- v/ere the eggs previously dis- 

 tinguished by the peculiarities mentioned above (Fig. 112). There 



