150 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



just six weeks after the deposition of the ova, and a fortnight 

 after it had left the attachment of the slate ; and yet, except 

 the appearance of muscular nuclei indicated in Fig. 6, no 

 sign of a disc was perceptible. 



No brush can give any adequate conception of the 

 brilliance of L, himaculatus from eight to twelve fathoms 

 on scallop ground ; or the vividness of colouring of the male 

 of L. Decandolii in the breeding season. The prevailing 

 tone of this fish is a somewhat sober-tinted combination of 

 olive-greens and greys. At the breeding time the female is 

 much smaller, less conspicuous in every way, and commonly 

 marked with a band across between the eyes, which somewhat 

 resembles the spectacle mark on the Cornish Sucker of Couch 

 — L. Gouanii of Day. More timid, more active, slighter 

 built, and more sober-tinted, the female might well have been 

 supposed to be a different species from its brilliant companion, 

 whose bright carmine .spots on the dorsal fin commonly give 

 him a sufficiently distinctive appearance. 



The spectacle mark shows under the lens as being made 

 up of bright scaly particles, distinct from the mucous- 

 coated skin of the remainder of the fish. Its gelatinous con- 

 sistency causes the fish to display its emotions with the 

 facility of a cuttle-fish, and the colour consequently changes 

 with the utmost readiness, forming in these, as in most 

 fishes, a very unreliable specific distinction, beyond a certain 

 point. 



There is a special peculiarity about the eyes of L. 

 himaculatus, which I have not observed in those of any 

 other fish. Beyond the iris stretches an elongated gelatinous 

 protection. This gives a remarkable expression to the fish 

 when alive, but drops off entirely very soon after death. 

 Whether it acts as a large reflector to gather the rays of 

 light when the fish is living at considerable depths, or as 

 a protection to the eyes, I am quite unable to risk a 

 suggestion. It adds brilliance to a brilliant eye in the first 

 instance, and gives the impression that, from whatever 

 position the observer may regard it, the eye is directed full 

 upon him. 



