LIFE HISTORIES OF CERTAIN' FRESH- WATER FISHES. 485 
once found the latter and succeeded in obtaining eggs on 
slight pressure. The eggs after a few hours measured about 
1.4 mm. in diameter and are easily identified by a large 
orange yellow oil globule about .55 mm. which lies in or on 
the yolk. In the eggs of this female the surface of the capsule 
was delicately vereegned and irregularly striated. Day and 
other authorities refer to the “ straw-coloured ” ova of this 
species, and Seeley (‘ Freshwater Fishes of Europe,’ p. 36) says 
that the eggs are laid “ in connected strings like those of 
the Perch.” I am quite satisfied that in the particular fish 
I examined the eggs were independent of one another, but 
whether or not this was an exceptional case I am not in 
a position to sav. 
The Bream (Abramis brama) breeds in May and June, 
and I obtained ripe fish in the Sutton Broad from May 25th 
to June 29th, 1903. The eggs are about 1.9 mm. in diameter, 
and there is no oil-globule. The surface of the egg-membrane 
is finely and closely pitted and is strongly adherent, so that 
the eggs become attached to the water plants amongst which 
the fish spawn. The yolk is of a pale yellowish colour. 
The larvae which hatch in 7 or 8 days are about 9 mm. in 
length, and are pale yellow coloured having very few. if any. 
black chromatophores and very faint pigmentation in the 
eye. The yolk sac, containing very granular yolk, instead of 
being more or less oval as in the Pike and Perch and many 
other fishes, is flask shaped, the neck of the flask being towards 
the tail of the larva. The larval fin is not largely developed 
and there is apparently no pneanal fin. 
In' the case of the Roach ( Lenciscus r util us ) the eggs, which 
are laid about the same time as those of the Bream, are to be 
found in abundance on the weeds at the side of the Stalham 
channel, and also along the sides of the River Ant. Like 
the Bream, this species spawns in shoals, and the spawning 
fish can be seen from a considerable distance as they greatly 
disturb the surface of the water. The egg. which is of a pale 
greenish colour, is about 1.9 mm. in diameter, and there is 
no oil-globule. There is apparently a large perivitelline 
space, as the outline of the yellow yolk can be seen through 
