534 



Bashford Dean Memorial Volume 



to fend for themselves. In support of this I have found (Gudger, 1918) that the 20'mm. 

 eggs of the marine gaff-topsail catfish (Felichthys felis), which are orally incubated, are 

 retained in the mouth of the male not only until the egg shell is thrown off but until all 

 the large yolk mass is taken into the body of the young fish. Thus the little three- or 

 four-inch fish when set free in the ocean is better equipped to escape its enemies and 

 capture its food. 



BREEDING SEASON OF THE FRILLED SHARK 



Because of its deep-sea habitat, no direct observations on the breeding behavior and 

 season of this shark have ever been made. Consequently we are confined to a study of the 

 records indicating the stages of development of ovarian eggs and of uterine embryos on 

 the dates of capture of the females. The evidence from the ovaries, since it does not 

 include accounts of eggs ready to be discharged, is not of great value. Of prime im- 

 portance, however, are the data as to stages of development of embryos in the oviducts. 

 The all too scanty evidence from both sources will now be presented. 



EVIDENCE FROM THE OVARIES 



With one exception, the only available evidence from this source as to the breeding 

 season of Chlamydoselachus is contained in the entries in Dean's notebook concerning eggs 

 found in these organs. These fragmentary statements, being dated, do throw some light 

 on the matter. 



Text-figure 3 

 The partially opened abdomen of a 1510-mm. female frilled shark taken November 28, 1938, 

 in the Sagami Sea. Five eggs, each measuring 80 — 83 mm., were contained in each ovary. 



Photograph by courtesy of Fumio Momose. 



