THE COD FAMILY 



299 



retiring" to the bottom of the sea where there is less hght in 

 day-time and pursuing its pre}' in mid-water or near the surface 

 at night. 



In the Irish Survey, of twenty-two specimens examined 

 thirteen were females, nine males. Spent or ripe females were 

 taken in March, April, May and June. 

 Ripe or nearly ripe fish were obtained 

 at 25 to 80 fathoms. 



The eggs of the hake were artificially 

 fertilised and examined at the Naples 

 laboratory. The)^ were '94 to ro3 mm. 

 in diameter (-/y inch) with a single oil- 

 globule (Fig. 136). The larva hatched in 

 less than three days, and had an elonga- 

 ted yolk-sac with the oil-globule at its 

 hinder end (Fig. 137). The pigment 

 was yellow and black, the latter absent 

 from the fin-membrane and forming two bands on the tail. 



During the Irish Surve}-, three small hake, i^ to ih inches 

 long, were taken at 80 fathoms in a shrimp trawl in August. Of 

 larger fish which may be considered to be nearly a year old, one 

 yh inches was taken at 40 fathoms and one 6 inches long at 1 15 



Fig. 136.— Egg of Hake, 

 magnified; after Raffaele. 



Fig. 137. — Larva of Hake, newly hatched, magnified ; after Raffaele. 



fathoms in March, two 8 inches long at 53 fathoms in May. All 

 these were captured in trawls, but it is certain that neither young 

 nor mature hake feed only on the bottom. Small specimens are 

 frequently taken in mackerel nets, which shows that like the 

 adults they roam about after prey in mid-water at night. 



