296 



MARKETABLE BRITISH MARINE FISHES 



Forty-one stomachs containing food were examined in the Irish 

 Survey, and fish were found in thirty-three : mackerel in six, flat- 

 fish (megrim and dab) in three, gurnard and haddock each in two, 

 scad and Norway pout in one. A Norway lobster was found 

 in one, and cuttle-fishes and a kind of octopus {Eledone) in eight. 



Breeding. — The proportion of the sexes in size has not been 

 ascertained, but in number they appear to be very nearly equal. 



According to the records of the Fishery Officers in Scotland, 

 the ling spawns in April, May, June, and July, principally in the 

 latter three months. 



The Q.^^ is ro8 mm. in diameter (t.^^^ inch), and has a single 

 large oil globule with a pale green colour. Eggs artificial!}- 

 fertilised at sea were hatched at St. Andrews. The larvae hatched 

 out on the ninth day. They were about 3 mm. (o-\ inch) long, 



Fig. 133. — Newly hatched larva of the Ling, alive and magnified ; after Mcintosh. 



and were very delicate and transparent. A peculiarity about 

 them is that the head and neck are much bent down over the 

 front of the yolk (Fig. 133). There are black pigment specks 

 on the body, and greenish-yellow specks on the yolk-sac and 

 marginal fin-membrane. 



When a week old the larva measures 3'3 mm. (^VV inch), and 

 has a pretty and characteristic appearance under the microscope 

 (Fig. 1 34). The yolk is not quite all absorbed: the black pigment, in 

 the form of rather large stars, extends along the edge of the back 

 and ventrally, and towards the tail extends into the fin-mem- 

 brane, while the greenish-yellow specks are very numerous. The 

 mouth is open, but the jaws not developed. 



The intermediate stages of the ling are remarkable for the 

 elongated throat fins, which reach back behind the vent. In colour 

 the fish in these stages are greenish on the back, and as soon as the 



