374 



W. C. Mclntosh, 



Specks close to the base of the anal fin, a few touches at the base 

 of the pelvics and on the chin. Six dark patches — some almost 

 eruciform, are now present on the dorsum, the anterior being better 

 marked than the posterior — which are somewhat faint. Touches 

 of pig'ment also occur along the lateral line, and a few of the ori- 

 ginal black Specks still form a row on each side of the latter half 

 of the dorsal. The head and cheeks are more deeply pigmented, and 

 a touch in a line with the angle of the mouth appears below each 

 eye. The papillse have disappeared from the posterior border of the 

 preopercular region. The tip of the longer process of the anterior 

 nostril is bifid. In some at this stage a minutely papillose condition 

 of the top of the head is visible in the preparations — probably 

 from the openings of pores. 



A survey of the young examples captured on the 26*^^ August 

 shows great variety of pigment. Thus some of the same length as 

 that just described (viz. 20 mm), and which have the six touches on 

 the dorsum, with the lateral and other touches quite as well develop- 

 ed — still retain the black pigment-specks on the interradial regions 

 of the pectorals and pelvics, and two of the spine-like papillse are 

 on the preopercular region. The fin-formula is D 12 and 19, A 20. 

 V 3. P. 13. The crown of the head is occasionally almost hispid 

 with minute papillse, and these may collect grains of sand with 

 mucus. This stage may be represented by a figure from a some- 

 what longer example — Plate XXI, fig. 4 and 4:Ä. It is not length 

 which necessarily determines the stage which the fish has reached, 

 but the alterations in structure and the State of the pigment. 



The Chief changes in the next stage are the increase of the 

 dorsal touches especially downwards, and the enlargement of the 

 lateral touches of pigment, the gradual disappearance of the black 

 Specks on the pectorals and those at the sides of the anal, together 

 with the absorption of the papillse from the preopercular region 

 (though one often remains for some time). The tip of the third ray of 

 the pelvics is perhaps more distinct, the bifid papilla of the anterior 

 nostril longer, and the general configuration more resembles that of 

 the adult. The pigment under the chin is more abundant — in the 

 form of two angular bars in front and a longer imperfect one poste- 

 riorly. There are about 11 incomplete bars along the sides, and 

 the black pigment-specks have increased on the dorsal and anal 

 fins — chiefly over the rays. It has for the most part left the pecto- 

 rals; only in a few do some specks remain towards the free edge; 



