FAUNA NOTES FOE 1897. 539 



mentioned fish. Further examination shewed that the interior 

 of the shell was lined with eggs deposited by this species, and 

 I have no doubt that the fish was protecting the ova from 

 predatory animals. The next day I carefully arranged both fish 

 and shell in their original positions, and made an instantaneous 

 photograph of the group, natural size. These ova were found 

 on microscopical examination to be in a very advanced stage of 

 development. 



Mr. Holt* has fully described and figured the minute 

 structure of the ova of this species. 



Although specimens of Centronotus gunnellus have been 

 as abundant as ever during the past year, I have not been able 

 to find a single mass of ova deposited by this species during 

 this spring. This fact is very singular when one considers how 

 very abundant the ova of this species were in the harbour last 

 year. 



On the 25th of October, while in my praam, under the 

 Eastern breakwater during a fresh southerly breeze, a single 

 specimen of Brill (Rhombus Isevis), was captured in a tin cup. 

 This exceptionally late specimen swam vertically in the water, 

 and measured 18 m.m. in length, the right eye being just on 

 the verge of coming round to the left side of the head. During 

 May, of every year, the young of this species are fairly abun- 

 dant in the harbour, it being by no means unusual for one to 

 secure several specimens during a calm morning ; but to find a 

 specimen in its pelagic stage, so late in the year, is very 

 interesting. 



It will be noticed that this year I have drawn up my 

 observations on the plankton in a tabular form, as being more 

 convenient for reference. A glance at the tables will give a 

 general notion of the usual contents of a tow-net gathering 

 made at any season of the year. A closer examination will 

 show the relative quantities of the several species in each 

 collection, Eish ova are not included in these returns. 



In my notes on the Fauna of the district, I have incor- 

 porated such remarks as I had to offer on specimens secured in 

 the tow-net. 



