268 MARKETABLE BRITISH MARINE FISHES 



occasionally sprats were present, and a dragonct and solenette 

 occurred each once. On the south coast, judi^ing from observa- 

 tions made in the Plymouth Laboratory in February, the smaller 

 members of the cod tribe are the chief victims, namely the poor 

 cod and pout, or bib {Gadiis minntus and G. hiscns). 



Breeding — Dr. Fulton found that the females were more 

 numerous than the males in the proportion of 145 to 100, and 

 larger in the proportion of 123 to 100. The total number of 

 ova in one specimen weighing 5^ lbs. was found on calculation to 

 be 825,000. Spawning was found to be taking place off the east 

 coast of Scotland in April, May and June, and a few were stated 

 to be ripe in March. According to Mr. Holt's observations at 

 Grimsby, ripe fish were first seen in the latter part of April, were 

 abundant in May and June, and none were seen after the end of 

 July. In the neighbourhood of Plymouth spawning takes place 

 chiefly in April, May, and June ; and during the same months on 

 the west of Ireland. 



TJie Eggs and their Development. — The eggs of the brill were 

 procured from ripe fish both on the east coast of Scotland and 

 on the west of Ireland, but they were h}'bridised in fertilisation, 

 in one case the milt of a turbot being used, in the other that of a 

 dab. In the former case the eggs developed healthih- and hatched ; 

 in the latter, as might be expected, they died before hatching. In 

 1892, however, eggs were obtained at St. Andrews fertilised from 

 the male of the same species. They are buo}-ant eggs, with a 

 single oil globule, like those of the turbot, but larger, measuring 

 r33 mm. in diameter. The oil globules are slightly coloured, 

 giving a number of living eggs together a pale ink)' tint. The 

 embryo in the Qg^ after some days' development is remarkable 

 for the abundance of pigment on the surface of the yolk sac, 

 and on the head and body : there are numerous black star-shaped 

 specks, and spots of yellow colour. 



Unfortunately the early larval stages are not satisfactorily 

 known. We have a figure by Raffaele ^ of a larva hatched at 

 Naples from eggs taken from the sea and identified as those of 

 the brill. The identification is doubtless correct, and the larva 

 is characterised by the abundant pigment mentioned already, 

 now of a slightly darker chrome tint. It forms one distinct band 

 across the tail as in the larva of the flounder. The fin-membrane 



1 Mitt. Zoo/, Station, Neafel 8 Bd. i Heft, iSSS. 



