404 THE HERRING FAMILY. 



The Herring Family. Clupeidae. 



The Anchovy. {Engraulis encrasicholus, L.) 



Prof. Hoffmann found that the anchovies of the Ziiyder Zee 

 were ripe in the months of June and July and that the eggs 

 were of an oval form, transparent, and about 1 mm. long. In 

 July 1886, Wenckebach captured the same eggs in his tow-nets, 

 and hatched them on the third day. The egg (Plate IV, 

 fig. 21) is ovoid, and with the yolk reticulated as in other 

 clupeoids, such as the sprat. Raffaele procured the same egg 

 at Naples from Jlay to September, and also ascertained that 

 hatching took place after two or three days. He gives the 

 long diameter of the egg as 1'1.5 to 1'2.5 mm. and the shorter 0'5 

 to 0'55 mm. He figures the larva on hatching (Plate XVIII, 

 fig. 6) as provided with a reticulated yolk of little depth but of 

 great length, extending indeed considerably beyond the middle 

 of the body ; while the notochord is unicolumnar. In two or 

 three days after hatching, the yolk had greatly diminished 

 (Plate XVIII, fig. 7), the pre-anal fin-membrane was augment- 

 ed, and the dorsal had likewise passed much further forward. 

 The mouth had also opened, and four branchial arches were 

 visible. The yolk had completely disappeared about the 4th or 

 .5th day, and pigment occurred in the eyes and along the 

 dorsum of the body. The intestine was transversely ridged 

 (Plate XVIII, fig. 8). 



Day observes that they spawn off our coasts in September 

 and December, though in June specimens have been found 

 with enlarged roe, and so tender that they burst on the 

 slightest interference. 



Hoffmann thought that very rapid growth took place during 

 the first year, so that those spawned in June and July reached 

 a length of 12 cm. (= 4'6 in.) at the end of October. Dr Hoek 

 appeared to agree with him. Ehrenbaum, however, asserts 

 that the young anchovies referred to were in their second year, 

 and this would be more in harmony with what is known of the 

 herring, the pilchard and the sprat. He also considered that 

 it breeds when two years old. 



Until recently no pelagic eggs of the anchovy had been pro- 



