St. Andrews Marine Laboratory. 99 



evidence that tliey assume a more or less pelagic existence 

 at the spawning-period. 



By tlie aid of the Fishery Board for Scotland, additional 

 facilities have lately been afforded for the examination of 

 both species by seine-nets at Elie and at St. Andrews. From 

 the former place (Elie) almost all the examples of A. lanceo- 

 latus have been procured, since it is rare at St. Andrews. 

 Dr. Fulton also kindly forwarded ripe ovaries of an early 

 specimen (May 20). 



The specimens of A. lanceolatus were large — some exceed- 

 ing a foot — and in fine condition. The enlarged ovaries in 

 these stretch forward to the liver, and posteriorly extend 

 some distance behind the vent. The organs are so closely 

 applied as to appear connate, the respective sides, however, 

 being separated by a deep furrow. In some a general 

 enlargement of almost all the ova occurred, the majority 

 having reached the stage at which a single oil-globule only is 

 present, the greenish-yellow hue of the latter affecting the 

 tint of the ovaries en masse. Yet none of these had the 

 slight translucency characteristic of a perfectly ripe q^^. In 

 others, while the ovaries generally were enlarged, the ripe eggs 

 were few in number and scattered singly at the surface of the 

 ovaries. A few presented a continuous band of ripe ea-a's 

 on the outer side oi each ovary ventrally, and from the 

 anterior to the posterior end, with or without a group of ripe 

 eggs (one or two of which occasionally escaped externally) 

 near the reproductive aperture. The specimens thus for- 

 warded daily from Elie * showed few marked differences, 

 unripe ovaries being as common at the beginning of July as 

 at the beginning of June. So far as could be observed, no 

 great exodus of eggs takes place suddenly, the diminution in 

 the size of the ovaries occurring gradually. 



In the most advanced males the testes occupied a similar 

 area to that of the ovaries, but while at the beginning of 

 June the sperms occasionally retained considerable activity 

 on arrival, those at the beginning of July were in most cases 

 either undeveloped or almost motionless. The general im- 

 pression, indeed, was that their vitality was feeble. The 

 testes in a few were diminished, while the centre contained 

 crowds of sperms, showing that the organs were in full 

 functional activity. 



'J'he spermatozoa are very minute, with a head that when 

 highly magnified resembles a grain of rice slightly curved, so 

 as to present a kind of hilum at one side. Neitlier end is 



* By the skill and care of Mr. Itodger, Chief Ollicer of the Coast- 

 guard. 



7* 



