248 



Part IT I. — Eleventh Annual Report 



miles), and which were also obtained off the West Coast of Ireland 

 (Donegal) by Mr Holt, and the somewhat older stages from St Andrews, 

 and from the Moray Firth, as well as the smaller forms, having very pro- 

 minent otocystic spines and ventral pigment-lines, also from the West 

 Coast of Ireland, are wholly different. 



The former, viz. those described in the Researches (pp. 845 and 846), 

 and figured in last year's Report (PI. XIV. figs. 7, 10, and 11), seem 

 to connect themselves with the topknot, the most common species of 

 which in this neighbourhood is Zengopterus.punctatus. The numbers, if 

 this supposition be correct, at this stage of growth, viz., from 4*5 to 9 mm. 

 long, form a characteristic contrast to their paucity at subsequent stages 

 (i.e., adolescent or adult), when a single example at intervals is all that 

 is usually seen of them. As mentioned in last year's remarks, they be- 

 long to a smaller fish than the turbot, both from the progress made by 

 the eye on the ridge in relation to the comparative size of the body, the 

 condition of the tin-rays, the small size of the eye, and other points. 



Further, it is possible that such forms as that figured in the Researches 

 by Professor Prince (PI. XIX. fig. 1) may be a furthsr stage of the 

 same species (topknot), the diminution in the size of the eye being due 

 to changes accompanying growth, or occasionally to abnormality. The 

 appearance of spines over the otocyst (as in PI. XIV. fig. 14, of last 

 year's Report) is a feature which probably occurs when the eye is near 

 or on tlie ridge, and which apparently disappears when the eye is quite 

 round. The number of the fin-rays, as shown last year, approaches the con- 

 dition in the topknot, and the same remarks apply to Mr Holt's Irish 

 forms. 



The series then connected with the turbot (and brill ?) commences with 

 PI. XIV. fig. 9 of the Tenth Report, is followed by that recently pro- 

 cured (PI. XII. fig. 6), and the next stage is given in fig. 7 of the same 

 Plate, the last an undoubted turbot. This links on to the small turbot 

 of 40 mm., obtained in seine- nets used inshore. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 

 Plate viii. 



Fig. 1. Unripe egg of the poor cod, dotted over with yolk- vesicles, and 

 the capsule marked by wrinkles, 3rd June 1892. x 57. 



Fig. 2. Egg of the same species in the multicelled condition, hours 

 after fertilisation, on June 6th, 1892. x 57. 



Fig. 3. The same egg 24 hours later, viz., between 4 and 5 p.m. on the 

 7th June. A distinct peak is visible in the lip of the blasto- 

 pore behind the embryo. x about 40. 



Fig. 4. Larval poor cod on emergence, 11th June 1892. x 26. 



Fig. 5. Head of a, specimen about a day older, floating near the surface 

 of the water, with the head depressed. Ventral aspect. x 

 about 35. 



Fig. 6. Lateral aspect of the larval poor cod on the 16th June. The 

 stellate condition of the black chromatophores is marked, and 

 the pectorals are large. x 44. 



Fig. 7. Somewhat older larval poor cod of the 18th June, in a nearly mori- 

 bund condition. The disappearance ot the yolk, the increase of 

 black pigment on the abdomen, and the presence of the swim- 

 bladder are the most noteworthy features, x 26. 



Fig. 8. Larval poor cod of the same date, but somewhat older (from ;i 

 previous series). x 57. 



