of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
297 
profusion of eggs of the gurnard, sprat, rockling, etc. It was readily dis- 
tinguished from the others by the presence of a considerable oil-globule — 
about "009 in. or '2286 mm,' — and further, by the presence of a large 
perivitelline space (PL XIV. fig. 15). The yolk is simply granular, and thus 
differs from that of a clnpeoid. A feature of moment is the occurrence of 
a distinct median furrow in the; embryo. The posterior end, moreover, is 
peculiarly flattened out, with a corrugated region at the blastopore, and 
a granular shred projects from the margin of the latter into the perivitel- 
line space. The embryo of Gorvina nigra is similarly expanded posteriorly.* 
The appearance of the egg next day (9th July) is shown in PI. XIV. fig. 1 G. 
The head and eyes are more clearly defined, and the pectorals are distinct. 
Faint pigment-specks occur over the yolk and at the tip of the tail. 
These were still more evident the following day (PI. XIV. fig. 17), while an 
opaque granular mass also stretches from the yolk to the left in the figure 
in front, and on the right posterior granular masses occur at the side of 
the embryo. These masses are apparently vesicular or perhaps fatty. 
On the 10th July the canary -yellow pigment was distinct on the head, 
body, tail, and on the surface of the yolk. The chromatophores are 
simple rounded globules, no stellate processes having yet appeared. The 
oil-globule is almost colourless, or at most has a slightly smoky hue. It 
is fixed in the centre of the ventral surface of the yolk. The chief 
changes since the previous day are the more conspicuous condition of the 
pigment and the elongation of the tail. The cerebral vesicle is visible, 
and the otocyst is vesicular. Unfortunately the egg perished on the 13th 
before hatching, so that the nature of the larva could not be determined. 
The presence of an oihglobule in eggs with a large perivitelline space is 
seen in the clupeoids, for example the pilchard, but in such cases the 
yolk is reticulated. On the other hand, the egg of the long rough dab, 
though it has a homogeneous yolk and a large perivitelline space, has no 
oil-globule. Mr Holt,t however, lately found a single example approach- 
ing the foregoing in the surface-net in Inver Bay, off the west coast of 
Ireland (Species VI.), and possessing a diameter of 1*13 mm., while the 
oil-globule had a diameter of '21 mm. The yolk is clear and homo- 
geneous, and pigment is absent at an advanced stage. The oil-globule is 
at the posterior end of the yolk. The specimen from St Andrews differs 
in size, in regard to the position of the oil-globule in the yolk, and in the 
appearance of pigment over the embryo at a somewhat early stage. 
Amongst pelagic eggs of round fishes possessing an oil-globule not yet 
obtained at St Andrews are those of the bass (Labrax lupus), the mullets, 
greater weever, and hake (which has a large oil-globule), but the foregoing 
does not seem to be identical with any of these. Some pleuronectids, 
again, present a homogeneous yolk, while in others the yolk-surface is 
vesicular, and the turbot, brill, sail-fluke, and top-knot have a single oil- 
globule. The present egg, however, is larger than two of these, and 
moreover differs from all in having the spacious perivitelline space. 
Raffaele found several eggs with a large perivitelline space in autumn, 
but was unable to identify them. In these, however, the yolk was reticu- 
late, and the oil-globule tinted yellowish. 
12. On the Eggs of the Frog-Fish (Lophius). 
For many years the ova of this species have been carefully looked for 
at St Andrews, for the species was formerly abundant in the bay, yet in 
no instance has a mass of spawn or even a single egg been obtained by 
* Raffaele, Mitthcihivgcn Zool. Stat. Neap., viii., sep. copy, p. 26. 
t Trans. Roy. Dub. Soc, vol. iv. p. 469, pi. xlviii. fig. 17. 
