of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



131 



In June 2 females were ripe and 2 males had fairly large testes. Two 

 males from the Firth of Forth were ripe. 



The spawning time of this species is, according to M'Intosh and 

 Masterman, Marcli — June. 



The ovary of luscus and minutus is distinctly triangular. The base of 

 the triangle is parallel and close to the swim-bladder, the apex is the 

 attachment by the oviduct to the anal region. The ovary grows forwards 

 into the abdominal cavity and posteriorly into the post-abdominal cavity. 



The Ripe Eggs of Luscus and Minutus. 



G. luscus. — The ripe eggs of luscus were found in a female in February. 

 The transparent eggs measured 1*1 x 125 and 1'2 x l-25mm. The 

 opaque eggs in the same ovary measured about -7mm. in diameter. The 

 fish had been in formaline solution. 



In March the eggs, which were dead, were pressed out by the genital 

 aperture. They were ripe, and measured 1*07 X 1*25; they were in the 

 fresh condition. 



Cunningham found the eggs of a ripe luscus to measure from 1*05- 

 l-15mm. M'Intosh and Masterman found that the ripe eggs of this 

 form after being preserved in spirit measured l*14-l'16mm. in diameter. 



G. minutus. — In January three-fourths of the eggs in the ovary were 

 yolked. 



In February, in one fish the yolked eggs measured -55mm. in diameter. 



On April 1 two of the minutus were in a spawning condition. The 

 eggs flowed freely out at the genital pore. They were not fertilised : no 

 ripe male was available. After being in water overnight some of the eggs 

 remained transparent and floating. They were measured, and the sizes 

 of their diameters in millimeters were as follows: — 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, *97, 

 •97, «97, -97, -97, '97, -97, -95, -9, -9 x "85, «9 x '85, '87, '87, -87, -87. 

 •87. Some of the eggs showed a striated zona. 



According to M'Intosh the ripe egg of minutus measures *906mm. in 

 diameter. 



Maturity of G. esmarkii. 



G. esmarkii. — The smallest matut»e specimens of this form, so far as the 

 development of the reproductive organs bore witness, were a male at 

 11cm. and a female measuring 9cm. in total length. Both had developing 

 genital organs. 



Holt found two ripe females, measuring 4|in. (about 11cm.) in length, 

 in April. Fulton says that spawning probably takes place in February 

 and March. 



The ovary of esmarkii is like that organ in luscus and minutus — 

 triangular in shape. It has only a slight attachment to the roof of the 

 abdominal cavity, except for the ureter. It grows forward along the floor 

 of the abdominal cavity, and is in some specimens pushed to one side by 

 the great development of the liver. 



The Swim- Bladder. 



The swim-bladder in luscus and minutus is large. It is usually found 

 to be ruptured. In one case an uninjured swim-bladder was noticed. 



The Skulls of Luscus, Minutus, and Esmarkii. 



The skulls of luscus and minutus resemble one another much, and both 

 differ distinctly from the skull of esmarkii. The main character of 

 difference is the slope of the ethmoid bone. When the three skulls are 



