184 Notes from the St. Andreics Marine Laboratory. 



vent proceeded to the base of the tail. In addition to the 

 foregoing a band of small though distinct black pigment-spots 

 commenced on the lateral region behind the pectoral on 

 each side and extended to the anal region. Moreover a single 

 spot occurred on each side beneath the pectoral, and thus below 

 tlie line just mentioned, A touch of the same pigment 

 existed in front of the shoulder-girdle. During life all these 

 pigment-specks were in a state of contraction ; but as death 

 approached they gradually assumed a stellate form, and thus 

 the spirit-preparation shows the coloration much more dis- 

 tinctly than the living animal. 



The pectoral fins are proportionally large. All the dorsal 

 interspinous bones, as also the articulation of the fin-rays, 

 are evident, whereas only the first three or four of the anal 

 are seen, the first indeed alone presenting an articulation with 

 the fin-ray. Thirty-seven hajmal spines occurred in front of 

 the anus. A few minute black pigment-specks were visible 

 (under the microscope) along the spinal cord. The notochord 

 remained simple from the anterior edge of the lower hypural 

 to the termination, only a minute ventral knob occurring 

 between the first and second hypural. Eight caudal rays 

 abutted on the inferior or large hypural, three on the next 

 above, then one more or less intermediate, three to the upper 

 hypural, above which lay the tip of the notochord, while four 

 rested on the epiurals. The total number was thus nineteen. 

 Day givt'S fifteen as the number of the rays. Tlie dorsal 

 fin-rays were 79 or 80 ; Day gives 75 to 82. The anal fin 

 had 44 rays ; Day mentions 39 to 45. Only 11 pectoral rays 

 were distinguishable; Day states the number to be 11 or 12. 

 As the fish was quite translucent these numbers are of 

 interest. Both dorsally and ventrally a portion of the larval 

 fin existed in front of the caudal. The gall-bladdtr forms a 

 distinct pale area at the posterior border of the liver. The 

 urinary bladder is large and its opening conspicuous. 



In the paper formerly referred to it was mentioned that 

 young gunnels resembling the adults had been procured in 

 July. They were captured off the Isle of May in the mid- 

 water-net at 30 fathoms, but probably the net touched the 

 bottom. They are only a few millim. longer than the fore- 

 going translucent form, but they are thicker and more massive 

 throughout, and the region from the base of the pectoral to 

 the tip of the snout is longer. Moreover they have well-formed 

 ventral fins. The pigment along the sides forms a series of 

 reticulations with the long diameter of the ovoid pale spaces 

 vertical. Eleven black bars are continued from the body to 

 the dorsal fin without trace of the eye-like areas of the adult. 



