THE BLENNY FAMILY. 219 



small eggs on short pedicels are studded on the surface of the 

 thin wall. 



In the middle of July in a female 8J in. long the single 

 ovary forms a median and somewhat spindle-shaped organ 

 placed under the kidneys and about an inch in length. Its 

 greatest diameter is about ^ of an inch. Numerous small 

 ova are visible externally, through the transparent investment. 

 On opening the ovary the small straw-coloured or deep yellowish 

 eggs were attached by a pedicle to the wall of the ovary. The 

 contents consisted of coarsely granular yolk. Most were nearly 

 equal in size, and they were surrounded by a vascular invest- 

 ment showing beautifully reticulated vessels. Until the egg 

 therefore arrives at a certain stage so as to come in contact with 

 the spermatozoa no impregnation can take place ; they hence 

 are probably free in the cavity of the ovary before this occurs. 



Somewhat previous to the foregoing (June 15), the two 

 testes of the male were much enlarged, and contained many 

 ripe sperms having the ordinary structure. In the middle of 

 November, again, these organs had considerably diminished in 

 size. One of the chief features of the male is the muscularity 

 of the sperm-ducts, the terminations of which are stated to be 

 capable of eversion, so as to facilitate the introduction of the 

 male elements into the ovarian chamber. This also would readily 

 be accomplished if, as in certain other marine forms, the sea- 

 water containing them gained admission to the cavity of the 

 ovary. 



When the advanced young are in the ovarian chamber, the 

 transparent fluid amidst which they lie presents altered blood- 

 corpuscles, rounded bodies of similar hue, but somewhat less — 

 apparently also blood- corpuscles undergoing degeneration, pale 

 (blood ?) corpuscles with granules internally, and many free 

 granules. 



In St Andrews Museum is a series of young viviparous 

 blennies collected locally by Mr Holt. The smallest of them 

 is about f inch (20 mm.) in length and the yolk-sac is notice- 

 able as a large spherical bag hanging under the throat. The 

 stomach forms a second less conspicuous protruding sac behind 

 it. As development proceeds the former decreases in size, and 



