IGiS THE GOBY FAMILY. 



The eggs of the freckled goby (Plate II, figs. 6, 7 and S) 

 were figured by Hoffman \ and indeed had probably long been 

 familiar to marine zoologists. Parnell and Day give the month 

 of June as the spawning-period, but little definite was known 

 of the eggs and larvre until lately. Those of this species not 

 infrequently occur at St Andrews in May, attached to the inner 

 surface of the valves of Lutniria and Solen, and they have 

 been carefully figured and described by Mr E. W. L. Holtl 

 Dr Petersen has recently given excellent figures and a descrip- 

 tion of the eggs of this species, which occurred on the interior 

 of the shells of Mya arenaria (Plate II, fig. 8), fastened by the 

 same network as already described. The eggs (Plate II, fig. 7) 

 are somewhat pyriform, though as in the black goby, the 

 outline alters with the developing embryo, and they measure 

 '9 to 1 mm. in their long diameter. 



Mr Holt observes that the egg is elongated — varying from 

 1'4 mm. to 1'2 mm. The contour is somewhat pyriform, and 

 the narrow end is blunt, almost truncated. The larger end, on 

 which the egg rests, tapers rapidly to a small facet or pedicle 

 of attachment. It will thus be seen that the British examples 

 are larger than the Danish, and differ slightly in outline, being 

 less tapered distally, but a considerable amount of variation 

 probably occurs. The space round the yolk (perivitelline space) 

 is large and is principally in the lower region of the egg. The 

 yolk is bean-shaped, with numerous oil-globules of various .sizes. 

 The embryo lies in the long axis of the egg. The capsule is 

 very thin, but has the usual structure. 



From the facet or pedicle of attachment, Mr Holt goes ou 

 to say, springs a hyaline structure which spreads outward in 

 the form of an umbrella. It is pierced by alternate con- 

 centric rows of diamond-shaped or ovoid apertures, which 

 increase in size the further they lie from the pedicle, whilst 

 on the contrary the hyaline intermediate substance is more 

 massive than in the distal rows. Finally the structure is 

 continued in the form of a fringe of long tapering threads, 

 which adhere to the shell and to the threads of the adjacent 



' Verliandel. d. Koiiiiik. Akad. 1883. 

 ■^ Aim. Nal. Hist. July, 1890, p. 34. 



