282 Part III. — Twenty-second Annual Report 



eyes. The eyes were relatively large, measuring 2'5mm. in diameter 

 (they are represented as rather too large in the enlarged figure, and as 

 a little too small in the other figure) ; the anterior edge is situated about 

 3mm. from the tip of the snout. The snout is blunt and obtuse and 

 rounded, and longer than the lower jaw, which is more pointed. The 

 cleft of the mouth ends rather behind the middle of the eye, and each 

 jaw is armed with a series of somewhat long, fine, slender teeth, those 

 in front being the longest ; of these, 34 were made out in the lower jaw 

 and 30 in the upper. 



The pectoral fins, placed immediately behind the gill-opening, were 

 small and delicate, measuring about 3 '5mm. in length. 



With regard to the pigment, there were two minute specks of black 

 on the lower part of the gill-cover on the left side and four similar 

 specks on the corresponding position on the other side. A linear series 

 of black specks runs along each side of the ventral margin, beginning 

 about 11mm. behind the pectoral fin; they are most distinct in the 

 anterior portion but are continuous to the tail, and in the posterior 

 part they are much more miuute, numerous, and crowded, giving the 

 appearance of a very fine black line. Along the lateral line there is a 

 single linear series of corresponding chromatophores, of which 35 were 

 counted, and beginning about 35mm. behind the head ; they are usually 

 situated at the junction of myotomes, and are most numerous towards 

 the tail. No other pigment specks were observed. 



Of the myotomes — which are very distinct except at the tail — I 

 counted 142, but, as stated, those at the posterior extremity are 

 indistinct. 



The second specimen (Fig. 2) was of a different kind in several respects. 

 It was taken in 24 fathoms, also in the Moray Firth but south of Smith 

 Bank, on 12th February. In shape it is vermiform rather than 

 tsenioid, and appears to correspond to the L. punctatus of Kaup, and 

 which has been shown by Grassi and Calandruccio to be the stage from 

 which the perfect conger is directly developed. It measures 123mm. 

 (4| inches) in extreme length, and weighed, after the superfluous water 

 was removed by blotting paper, 1*675 grammes, its volume being l'8cm. 

 It will be seen by comparing these figures with those referring to the 

 other specimen that the reduction in length is accompanied by a 

 considerable increase in bulk, since the shorter specimen weighed over 1 

 gramme more than the other, its weight being nearly three times 

 greater. The volume, as stated, did not increase in the same proportion ; 

 the discrepancy is perhaps due to the tissues of the younger being less 

 solid, perhaps to defect in the determination of the volume. 



The extreme breadth of this specimen is 10 '5mm. and its thickness 

 3mm. Its thickness is maintained in a fairly uniform way for the first 

 two thirds of the length of the body, after which it diminishes rapidly. 

 The distance from the tip of the snout to the commencement of the 

 dorsal fin is 44mm. and from the same point to the anus 55mm. The 

 head is 9mm. in length, 4- 5mm. high, and 3* 5mm. broad, and the top is 

 more rounded than in the younger specimen. The eye is somewhat 

 smaller, measuring 2mm. in diameter and placed 2 -5mm. from the end 

 of the snout. The lower jaw is shorter than the snout, but not to the 

 extent represented in fig. 2b. Teeth, so conspicuous a feature in the 

 younger specimen, could not be made out. The pectorals were more 

 developed, being longer and, especially, broader. Of the myotomes, not 

 so distinct as in the other form, 141 were counted. The black chro- 

 matophores were arranged as in the younger specimen, but none were 

 observed on the head. Those along the lateral line are more conspicuous 

 than those placed along the ventral margin, of which there are 26 in 

 front of the anus, and they are much more numerous behind, being 

 crowded together, as in the first specimen, towards the tail. 



