of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



309 



(e) The post-larval form with the short snout and large eyes, described 

 under the head of February (Plate III. fig. G), is another unknown form. It 

 is further characterised by the peculiar pigment-specks over the faintly 

 yellowish mid-brain. 



(h) The larval fish with the distinct incurvation in the rectal region, 

 which is median in position (Plate IV. fig. 1), is also unknown. The oil- 

 globule in this case lies with the remains of the yolk towards the anterior 

 part of the abdomen. A line of black chromatophores runs along the 

 ventral edge below the gut. 



Sand-eel. — Larval sand-eels occurred on the 11th March (8*5 mm. and 

 10 mm.) and then on 18th and 30th April, those on the latter date being 

 f inch long. They are met frequently between this and the 18th 

 September. They appeared to be most common in May, August, and 

 September. None were procured in June. 



Montagu's Sucker. — Larval Montagu's suckers appeared on the 18th 

 April. This is a very abundant form in St Andrews Bay, the ova being 

 attached to sea-weeds, zoophytes, and other structures on the bottom. The 

 larval fishes, however, become at once pelagic on extrusion, and thus fall 

 a prey to the larger young fishes. 



Gunnel. — Larval gunnels abound off the rocks in April after their escape 

 from the demersal egg. 



Gobies. — Young gobies (chiefly Gobiiis minutus) occurred eleven times, 

 viz., from the 26th April (1|- inch) to the 26th September (5 mm.), one of 

 21 mm. appearing on the 17th of the same month. They were most 

 abundant in July and August; thus on the 6th July 33 were present in 

 the net, their dimensions ranging from 3*5 to 11 mm., the first-mentioned 

 having only embryonic rays in the fins; while 15 appeared on the 4th 

 August — their lengths being from 5 to 10 mm. 



Coitus scorpius. — This species was first observed in the net on the 7th 

 March (7 mm. long) and again on the 28th May (9 mm.) and they occasion- 

 ally occurred till the 20th of September, though none were got between May 

 and the 31st August, the single example on the latter date being 9 mm. 

 long. The latter would therefore seem to be its most active pelagic con- 

 dition, unless the net had accidentally reached the bottom. 



Dragonet. — Post-larval forms of this species occurred on the 31st 

 August (5 mm. long), on the 3rd September (4"5 mm.), on the 10th (8*5 to 

 10 mm.), and again on the 20th (9 mm. long). The adult spawns in July. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 

 Plate III.* 



Fig. 1. Pelagic egg with large perivisceral space. Size '072, and of yolk *042. 16th 

 March. 



Fig. 2. Pelagic egg with large perivisceral space, embyro further advanced, and with 



yellowish pigment. 29th March, x 21. 

 Fig. 3. Larval fish from the foregoing egg shortly after hatching. 31st March. 



x 20. 



Fig. 4. Early post-larval sole, 5 mm. long. 22nd August 1888. 

 Fig. 5. Larval stage of unknown Teleostean with the yolk still present, x about 

 10. 



Fig. 6. Anterior end of an older stage, apparently of an allied form. An oil-globule 

 appears under the liver. The large size of the eye and its proximity to the 

 mouth are noteworthy. Enlarged under a lens. 



Fig. 7. Dorsal view off the head of Fig. 5. x about 30. 



Fig. 8. Larval fish of unknown relationships with large oil-globule, but no yolk. 

 Slightly enlarged under a lens. 



* For several figures of larval fishes I am indebted to the skilful pencil of Mr E. E. 

 Prince, B. A. ; other figures were drawn by Mr Pentland Smith, M.A. 



