NOTES ON THE FAUNA OF FALMOTJTn. 269 



Archidoris tuberculata were found in abundance early in 

 January under the Eastern breakwater ; and on the 2nd of 

 February quantities of ova deposited by these mollusks were 

 noticed. On the 29th of March, several specimens of Aplysia 

 hybrida were seen depositing their ova in St. Just Creek- 

 Upwards of six specimens of Doris Johnstonii were found at 

 low- water mark during that morning. 



Pisces. Centronotus gunnellus is a common fish on the 

 Cornish coast, being according to my observations especially 

 abundant in the higher portions of Helford estuary and 

 Falmouth harbour. Although I had made repeated efforts to 

 discover the eggs of this species, I was not successful till the 

 spring of 1895, when a mass of ova was found under a stone 

 during low-water near St. Just Creek. During this spring I 

 have been more fortunate, having secured as many as ten separate 

 masses of ova deposited by this species during a single tide. 

 Mr. Ernest W. Holf has given a full description of the eggs of 

 this species, together with an account of the various naturalists 

 who have observed the interesting way the fish curls round its 

 eggs till they are hatched. He writes as follows : — "The eggs 

 of this fish (Centronotus gunnellus) first engaged the attention 

 of Mr. W. Anderson Smith (P.E. Ph. S. Edin., vol. ix, 1886, pt. 

 I), who found them between tide marks on the west coast of 

 Scotland. They were next observed by Mc Intosh and Prince 

 occurring in masses, "about the size of a Brazil-nut," in cavities 

 (holes of Pholas) at the Pier Eocks, St. Andrews, with the 

 parent fishes coiled beside them." All my specimens, with two 

 exceptions to be noticed later, were found near low-water mark 

 in small pools of water which were covered with comparatively 

 large fiat stones. On turning over one of these during the 

 spring, one finds besides a collection of various species of 

 Crustacea, nudibranch mollusca, and worms, one or more 

 specimens of this fish coiled round its ivory mass of ova. These 

 masses were found to vary very considerably both in size and 

 shape ; most being generally speaking oval, and measuring 

 about 25 m.m. by 35 m.m. One mass of ova however exhibited 

 features of extreme interest. Owing to the mass of ova being 

 too large for the fish to encircle, it had constricted off a portion 

 by thrusting its tail through the njass^ and so had almost divided 



