of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
277 
it is younger than that described on p. 845 of the Researches, both, 
however, being procured at the same time, viz., 30th August 188G. It 
measures 4'5 mm. in spirit. The embryonic tail is still conspicuous, but 
the caudal rays are developing rapidly beneath it. On the 10th July 
1890 a somewhat older stage was captured in the bottom-net in St 
Andrews Bay, and is figured iu the fresh (not living) condition in PI. XIV. 
fig. 8. Mr Holt, who has examined the ligure, recognises it as the form 
lie met with on the west coast of Ireland, and it appears to correspond 
with those got in former years in deep water olf the east coast of Scotland. 
The dark pigment, as Mr Holt points out, is confined to the posterior 
region of the body. 
The descriptions of the various subsequent stages need not be repeated, 
but a figure (PI. XIV. fig. 10) of the young fish with the right eye touching 
the ridge is necessary for continuity. At this stage it measures in spirit 
about 5 mm., those at 6 mm. presenting little change. The caudal has 
now attained larger proportions. 
Mr Holt, in describing a specimen 6 mm. in length, mentions that he 
believed that ( in life a profuse pale yellow pigmentation was present every- 
' where but on the margiual fins/ though he adds the caution that he 
had only his memory to rely on at this stage. In older specimens he had 
no doubt. No separate chromatophores could be seen, ' so that the yellow 
' tint may have been due to a coloration of the tissues, though I do not 
' think this was the case.' 1 Whilst the commencement of the post-anal 
I region is little pigmented, the middle is profusely speckled, both on body 
' and marginal fins, with minute stellate chromatophores. A few rounded 
' chromatophores occur also on the anterior parts of the dorsal and ventral 
' fins, and about the sides of the body. The eyes are black, and there is 
' a little pigment on the top of the hind-brain, and between that structure 
' and the notochord.' Chromatophores also occur on the jaws, ventral line, 
renal region, and other parts. At 9*5 mm. (PI. XIV. fig. 11) the right eye 
is on the ridge, and the embryonic tail is much diminished ; moreover, the 
pelvic fins are visible as minute processes interiorly. Careful examination 
of the otocysts of such an example show only a very slight thickening at 
two points, viz., superiorly over the canals, and inferiorly over the otoliths. 
No spines are visible. Such a form, therefore, differs materially from the 
brill-like post-larval pleuronectid. 
In two specimens of this stage procured by the ' Garland ' on Smith 
Bank, off Caithness, 28th June 1889, the right or future under-surface is 
(in spirit) minutely flecked all over with black points, while the right 
presents only a trace of such, chiefly posteriorly. A median black line 
occurs on the oblique region of the abdomen, behind the pelvic fins, which 
are also speckled with black pigment-touches. They measured J0'5 and 
II mm., — the rays in the former being D. 89, A. 64, and in the other D. 
79 and A. 57 — such approaching the condition in the topknot 
{Zeugopterus punctatus). 
The foregoing stages were procured in considerable numbers during two 
seasons, by the courtesy of the Fishery Board, in the ' Garland,' viz., about 
15 miles S.E. of the Island of May, on August 30, 1886, with the 
large midwater net at 25 fathoms, in water 32 fathoms deep ; and again, 
on the 21st July 1887, St Abb's Head bearing about 14 miles S.S.W., 
with the midwater net at 27 fathoms, in water 32 fathoms deep. All 
were characteristically ' bufY' coloured, with the tip of the snout yellowish, 
while both sides were minutely speckled with black points. In those 
with the eyes on the left, indications of five or six dark bands occur on 
the dorsal and anal fins, and the eyes have dark pigment. These delicate 
forms generally cling to the meshes of the net, as if they had been com- 
pressed and killed by the currents, just as the larger and stronger young 
salmon are against the perforated zinc of the sluices at Stormontfield. 
