MODES IN THE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF EGG DIAMETERS 
To investigate the complete frequency distribution of egg sizes in the ovary, all the eggs 
in a sample from the ripest-appearing ovary from the central equatorial Pacific (no. 57) were 
measured, The measurements included the follicular cells, as no-sharp line of demarcation 
exists between these and small ova. To augment the portion of the frequency distribution 
representing the larger eggs, a second, larger sample was taken and only eggs with diameters 
greater than 0.165 mm, were measured. Samples | and 2 (table 6) were combined and smoothed 
twice by a moving average of three to produce the frequency distribution shown in figure 1, In 
combining the samples an adjustment of sample 2 had to be made to account for eggs smaller 
than 0.165 mm, which had not been counted. The number of eggs in sample 2 was about 1,5 
times the number of eggs over 0.165 mm, in sample 1. It was assumed large and small eggs 
were present in the same proportion in both samples. Hence the smaller classes of sample 2 
were estimated as 1,5 times the same classes of sample 1. Besides the prominent mode result- 
ing from the tremendous number of primitive eggs, two modes of maturing eggs (and possibly 
a third at 0.38 mm.) are evident. 
Table 6, --Frequencies of egg diameters of most mature ovaries from 
Hawaiian area, western equatorial Pacific, and central 
equatorial Pacific 
la i int Central Pacific 
Ciasismmidpeln zs Western Hawaiian 
Sample 1 Sample 2 Pacific area 
WP On 
ewe OF 
a — 
- ® CO 
~ 
= 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
iC 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
M7 
18 
19 
20 
NN hd 
WnNre 
oa 
tN 
ns 
N 
a 
N 
~) 
NORA RAWOAD~O0 
iw) 
nn 
WWUNnre OW WwW Ub 
1 
Wnhn 
OO © 
