of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



187 



proved from the contents of many stomachs that were examined. It was 

 clear that the larvae had been selecting their food, and I had also the oppor- 

 tunity to ascertain that the motive for doing so was not a question of size 

 alone. Infusoria, for instance, occurred in abundance, but were never 

 found in any stomach. 



In the later part of the post-larval stage, when the larvae were relatively 

 large, a greater variety in their food was observed. The records show 

 how various adult copepoda were then eaten, together with the larval 

 molluscs. 



Table I. — Showing some Features of the Post-larval 

 Development of the Plaice. 



Date. 



Age in days 

 after hatching. 



Average length. 



Average 

 breadth. 



General Features. 



May 18th. 



8 



mm. 

 7*20 



mm. 



Larvne symmetrical ; tail homocerc ; no fin- 

 rays ; yolk absorbed. 



May 25th. 



15 





— 



Larvae symmetrical ; tail homocerc ; no fin-rays. 



May 27th. 





7*40 



1-44 



Larvrc symmetrical ; tail homocerc ; no fin- 

 rays (fig. 1). 



May 30th. 



20 



7*44 



1-44 



Larvre symmetrical ; tail homocerc ; no fin-rays. 



June 7th. 



25 



7-84 



1 -60 



Larvae symmetrical ; tail slightly heterocerc ; 

 first appearance of caudal fin-rays (compare 

 fig. 2). 



June 9th. 



30 



9-40 



1-92 



Larvae symmetrical ; tail heterocerc ; increased 

 number of caudal fin-rays ; first appearance of 

 caudal spines. 



June 14th. 



35 



9-64 



2-16 



Left eye has got a more anterior and dorsal 

 position ; increased number of caudal spines, 

 and first appearance of rays in dorsal and 

 ventral fin ; tail heterocerc (fig. 3). 



June 19th. 



40 



10'96 



3-76 



Left eye near dorsal edge of the skull ; rays 

 in the marginal fins further developed ; tail 

 again homocerc (fig 4). 



June 21st. 



42 



12*40 



4-80 



Left eye on the edge of the skull ; first appear- 

 ance of pelvic fins ; larvae remains permanently 

 on the bottom ; a few teeth are present (fig. [/) 



June 24th. 



45 



1376 



6-40 



Left eye has passed the edge, and the dorsal fin 

 is in line with the posterior edge of the latter 

 (fig. 9). 



Remarks on the Egg, Larva, and Post-Larva of Turbot, and on the 

 Larval and Post-Larval Lemon Sole. 



The turbot being such a valuable food-fish, great attention has been 

 devoted to the study of its early development. But somehow or other it 

 has been difficult to obtain the necessary materials (viz., impregnated 



