l6 



K. MITSUKURI 



considered something extraordinary. At this time, it becomes some- 

 what difficult to distinguish these large ones of the first year from the 

 younger ones of the second year, but on the whole the former have 

 the thinner, more translucent, and more pliable skin, flabbid to touch, 

 and with a little practice they can be set apart by themselves although 

 at times with difficulty. 



During the second year the young can still be distinguished from 

 the adult. Their skin and muscles are now much thicker, the pigment 

 much more pronounced, and as the consequence the body entirely 

 opaque — in all these respects approaching the adult. But they are as a 

 general thing decidedly smaller than the latter, and can be told apart 

 although sometimes with great difficulty. I have taken many measure- 

 ments, but I find it not possible to construct such a table of growth as 

 I have for the first year ones. The fact of steady growth is not so easy 

 to bring out as for the latter. This is evidently due to the compara- 

 tively small number measured, individual variations swamping and 

 obscuring the rate of growth which can not therefore be as great as in 

 the first year ones. It is found that while the length does not visibly 

 grow, compared with that of the first year ones, the breadth is much 

 greater than in the yearlings with the corresponding lengths. I give 

 below such measurements as I have taken. I ought to add that many 

 of the measurements were made with the animals in a contracted state. 

 If they had been fully extended, there would have been an increase in 

 length with a corresponding decrease in breadth. 



