70 Part III. — Twenty-fourth Annual Report 



Fam. Mur^nidjE. 



Genus Anguilla. 



Anguilla vulgaris, Leach. The Eel. PI. i. b., figs. 67-69 ; pi. v., fig. 25. 



The largest specimen of the eels whose earstones are represented here 

 measured about 24 inches in length, and the other two 16 inches and 12| 

 inches respectively ; their earstones are very small, those from the 

 largest fish are only about 3'5mm. long by 2mm. in depth. Those 

 belonging to the fish next in size (16 inches) measured fully 2 - 5mm. by 

 1.7mm., while those of the smallest specimen (12^ inches) measured 2mm. 

 by 1.5mm. The earstones of the largest of the three fishes are only 

 about one-seventieth part of the entire length of the fish; they are thus 

 smaller in proportion to the length of the fish than most of the others 

 described here. 



Genus Conger. 



Conger niger, Risso. The Conger. PI. i b., fig. 66 ; pi. iv., fig. 14 ; pi. 

 v. fig. 7. 



Among the earstones represented here are those of two specimens of 

 conger —one 28| inches in length, the other 54 inches. The first are 

 represented by fig. 66, pi. i. b., an enlarged photograph of which is shown 

 by fig. 14, pi. iv. ; while those of the larger fish are represented by fig. 7, 

 pi. v. The smaller earstones are nearly 9mm. long by about 3'5mm. 

 in depth, but the length of the larger specimens was ll*5mm. j they are 

 thus equal to about the one hundred and twenty-third part of the entire 

 length of the fish. The earstones of the smaller fish are moderately thin 

 and of a narrow oval outline, being widest near the middle and with one 

 end narrowly rounded and the other narrow and angular. Those of the 

 larger fish are tolerably massive, the sides are nearly parallel but some- 

 what sinuous in outline, and the ends, like those of the smaller fish, are 

 one of them bluntly rounded, while the other is angular. The surface of 

 the earstones does not appear to be ornamented with any regular 

 markings except one or two shallow longitudinal ridges. 



Fam. Syngnathid^:. 



Genus Nerophis. 



Nerophis lumbriciformis, Will. The Worm Pipe-fish. 



The earstones of a specimen of this pipe-fish have been in my collection 

 for many years (since March 19, 1885 — the date when the fish was cap- 

 tured at Lunderston Bay, Firth of Clyde). They are so exceedingly 

 small that they have not been photographed with the others represented 

 here. They are compressed, and resemble circular disks, except that one 

 end is slightly notched, the notch being a little on one side of the middle 

 line. They are somewhat like certain small Foraminifera, such, for 

 example, as Biloculina depressa, but more diminutive. Their true form 

 can only be made out satisfactorily under the microscope, with a 1-inch 

 objective. They measure across their longest diameter about # 26mm. 

 (about ^g- of an inch), while their shortest diameter is about -19mm. The 

 earstones of these fishes are so exceedingly small that they are easily 

 overlooked. 



