4 
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 
were found in almost every tow-netting throughout the whole period, and 
often in great abundance, yet the fish itself is not a common one. It does 
not, however, readily take the bait, and may be abundant in certain rocky 
localities, where it cannot be captured by the trawl, so that it may occur in 
greater abundance than is apparent. It was found occasionally in the 
trawling work of the " Pieter Faure," and the ripe eggs were procured and 
fertilised. These did not hatch out naturally, however, and the only infor- 
mation about tlie larva was obtained by dissecting out a well-advanced 
embryo from the egg. These eggs were 1"83 to 1'74 mm. in diameter.* 
Dark stellate pigment-cells were found on the yolk and body, and the 
pectoral fin had a characteristic border of pigment just within its margin. 
The eggs procured in Table Bay, and believed to be those of AgriopuSy 
were 1'88 to 1-71 mm. in diameter, and large, dark stellate spots appeared 
on the surface of the yolk at an early stage, as in the Pieter Faure " 
specimens. Of a large number of eggs kept in water only a few hatched 
out, and that after a period of seven to eight days. The newly-hatched larva 
is very similar to that already described. It is 4 mm. in length and the dark 
border of the pectoral fin has a few reddish spots. There is some dark 
pigment at the rectum, and a fainter patch on the upper and under- surface 
of the body between the rectum and the posterior end. 
The later larva is large, being 6"21 mm. in length, and its chief charac- 
teristic is its pectoral fins, which are large and fan-shaped and strikingly 
pigmented on the borders, the under-surface being of a dark colour, con- 
sisting of a number of black dots, while the upper surface of this region was 
of a striking red colour, consisting of reddish dots amongst which were a 
few dark dots. Over the rectum is a mass of black pigment-cells, and, 
posterior to this, another mass on each side of the body. Over the yolk are 
scattered large black stellate spots. The notochord is multicolumnar, and 
the rectum is not far removed from the yolk, though not close up to it. 
Fig. 5, drawn from life by Mr. H. A. T. Hunter, shows the general arrange- 
ment of the pigment. 
Caeangidae. 
Caranx trachurus, Lacep. 
This fish is common in and near Table Bay, but its eggs were not procured 
in abundance, and then only in the month of August. The eggs and larvae 
have already been sufficiently described. The fish is one of the few which 
seem to be quite identical with one in the northern hemisphere, and its early 
stages seem to be quite similar to those of the European species. 
SCOMBRIDAE. 
Scomber cohas, GTmel. (PI. I, fig. 6 ; PI. II, fig. 7.) 
Certain eggs were procured in July in fair abundance, and again in 
August and October, but in fewer numbers. They vary in diameter from 
