ZOOLOGY. 561 
females, viz., one had one and the other three. In the instances 
where both sexes were present, the eggs were found, as before, in 
various stages of development, while in the others, where females 
only existed, the oviducts were full of eggs and in the same 
numbers as in the others, but there were no signs of impregnation 
and consequently no developmental changes. 
rom these facts it seems almost certain that impregnation 
takes place in the head, and, unless both sexes are present there, 
the brood fails. It is also probable, on the supposition that these 
worms are migratory, that it is in the head of the Anhinga the 
sexual organs are developed, the young arriving there in an imma- 
ture state. 
Every attempt to find traces of this worm in other parts of the 
body, or even of the brain failed. —J. Wraan. 
Viviparous Minnows.—Specimens of a species of Peecilia, found 
in some brackish lakes in the interior of the Island of New Provi- 
dence, Bahamas, have been kept in an aquarium for the last three 
years. When first obtained they were about an inch long. The 
female grows in confinement to about double that length, and the 
male to something less, but is not one-half the bulk of his mate ; 
both are semi-transparent and the backbone is clearly visible. 
The anal fin of the male consists principally of a long spine. In its 
normal position this spine lies close under the body and reaches 
backward nearly to the commencement of the caudal fin, and is evi- 
dently the intromittent organ. It is furnished with a hinge joint 
and is capable of being thrown forward at an acute angle, being also 
“usceptible of a slight lateral movement. The act of copulation 
takes place by the male rising perpendicularly under and a little to 
one side of the female and making a dart at her with the spine, 
which is brought laterally forward at the instant of connection. 
€ act is almost momentary and is hardly noticeable without the 
closest attention. Two of the females gave signs of being with 
y Bee and one morning a small fish about one-third of an inch long 
r discovered, but it was evident the rest had been devoured by 
` males, for on a subsequent occasion when a female again 
became Stavid the males were all removed and on the next day the 
‘gravid fish had nine young, all born alive; these were placed 
together with the above mentioned one in a finger basin ; they were 
ect fish, and had no appearance of the yolk being attached, as is 
NATURALIST, VOL. VI. 6 
