i88 7 .] 
A Protandric Hermaphrodite. 
19 
illustrated in fig. 1) to fully developed females (as illustrated in 
fig. 3); and the rule seems to be that the larger the specimen is, 
the more are the female organs developed, and the more do the 
male organs disappear. 
From what has been stated above, we seem, already, entitled to 
conclude, that Myxine is generally, or always(?), in its young 
state, a male; whilst at a more advanced age it becomes 
transformed into a female. Indeed, I have not yet found a 
single female that did not show traces of the early male stage. 
But is there any constant relation between the extension of 
the male and the female portions of the generative organs of 
Myxine? and — is there any certain length, or age, of the animal at 
which the function of the testes ceases, and the development of the 
ova begins? 
To elucidate those questions, it is perhaps most convenient to 
give the following measurements of various specimens examined: 
Length of 
the animal 
in centi- 
metres 
Length of the 
reproductive 
organ or 
membrane 
Length of the 
posterior 
male portion 
(or sterile 
portion in 
females) of the 
reproductive 
organ 
I. 
2. 
Herm ap hr od i te- male with 
well developed testes; the ova 
are seen as distinct small 
(spherical) nodules (vide fig. 1) 
Hermaphrodite-male with 
distinct testes, which are, how- 
ever, already, somewhat de- 
generated. The ova of the 
ovary have already begun to 
become oblong; they are 3 
mm. in length 
Hermaphrodite-male with 
well developed testes ; the ova 
are small spherical nodules. 
The male portion of the re- 
productive organ is not dis- 
tinctly defined from the female 
29.7 ctm. 
30 ctm. 
14.3 ctm. 
14.5 ctm. 
5.0 ctm. 
7.2 ctm. 
2* 
