PLANKTON OF THE WOODS HOLE REGION 
165 
he believed to be necessary, for the milt rises and is likely to be lost before the eggs 
can be fertilized. The eggs are usually quite opaque and heavily laden with yolk. 
By being grouped in large bunches they are not so easily preyed upon by the bottom- 
feeding animals, although no doubt many are lost in this way. The eggs are com- 
paratively fewer in number and have a longer incubation period. 
Young fish of this group are often just as numerous in surface collections as 
those hatching from pelagic eggs, for they usually hatch in a much more advanced 
stage, thus greatly reducing the mortality. 
Gadus callarias and Pholis gunnellus, characteristic members of the spring plank- 
ton, are excellent representatives of these two groups. The former emerge from the 
'Tautogolalirus adspersos 
Tantog^ onltls 
Prionotus oarollnus 
Stenotomos chrysops 
Brevoortia tyrannus 
Syngnathtis fusons 
, Spheroides rnaculatus 
Lopihopsetta moulata 
llerluocius 'bilinearls 
Porpnotus triaoanthus 
Uenldia inenidia notata 
TJrophyols sp. 
leptocephalus Blops ? 
Ehlnonemus cimtrius 
H.platessoides 
Jlyoxooephalus aeneus ? 
Microgadus tomcod 
Fig. 65.— Occuirence of fishes in surface collections from Jvine to Decemoer, 1922 
egg in a helpless condition and for some time are tossed about at the mercy of the 
waves as delicate little transparent larvas. (The black chromatophores arrange 
themselves in vertical bands and may camouflage the young fish in much the same 
way that similar designs served to protect our ships during the late war.) The 
other species {PJiolis gunnellus) is never found in an entirely helpless condition. 
The young, which are much farther advanced than those of the cod when they 
appear in surface collections, are always very lively and swim rapidly toward the 
light when placed in a glass tray. (The larval cod were always dead when removed 
from the nets.) Copepods were always f oxmd in the intestines of even the smallest 
specimens. This is further evidence of the activity of this species in its very early 
pelagic existence. The eggs are laid on the bottom in a compact mass and are 
guarded by the adult fish until hatched. 
