Bd. V: 6) 
THE FISHES OF THE SWEDISH SOUTH POLAR EXPEDITION. 
53 
Specimens of Notothenia macrocephala marmorata caught in May 1902 in 
Cumberland Bay, South Georgia, showed genital organs beginning to develop, and 
indicating a spawning season at the end of the antarctic winter, or in the spring. 1 
In the large specimens of N. gibberifrons caught at the same time the swelling of 
the genital organs had not yet begun. This species consequently propagates at 
another time of the year. Specimens of N. sima measuring 6 — 7 cm. in length and 
caught at Port Louis, Falklands, from July to the middle of August 1902 had dis- 
tended ovaries and eggs measuring between z / 2 and 3 U mm. in diameter. This in- 
dicates that their spawning takes place in winter or early in the antarctic spring. 
In A T . coriiceps caught at the same coast in the same month, the ovaries were at 
their seasonal minimum of development, which indicates quite another spawning sea- 
son 2 and at the same time that these two last species are not only structurally but 
also biologically different, in spite of what has been said to the contrary. 
Specimens of Trematomus hansoni georgianus caught in Cumberland Bay, South 
Georgia, had the ovaries only little developed and eggs measuring about z / 3 or V4 
mm. It seems therefore probable that their spawning season should come at the 
end of the antarctic winter or early spring. 
Among the specimens of Champsocephalus giinnari caught in the middle of May 
1902 in a depth of about 100 m., at least one female had the ovaries so greatly 
extended that the spawning fnust be quite near at hand. The eggs of this specimen 
lie in the preserved state so pressed together that their diameter cannot be stated 
quite exactly, but, judging from the fact that some measure 3 mm. or a little more, 
others fully 4 mm., it may be supposed that the ripe eggs when ready to be ex- 
truded have a diameter of at least 4 mm. and become still larger when they have 
imbibed water. It is not probable that eggs of this great size could be pelagic, nor 
the larvae developed from them. Other specimens of Champsocephalus gunnari 
appeared to be just spent, and in the intestinal canal of Notothenia gibberifrons 
were found eggs that seemed to have belonged to this species. The latter fact 
also proves that the eggs in question are demersal as N. gibberifrons certainly is 
a bottom fish. 
A female of Artedidraco mirus caught the 14th of May 1902 in Cumberland 
Bay had distended but not yet quite ripe ovaries indicating a spawning season about 
the middle of the antarctic winter, or perhaps a little earlier. The eggs were already 
2V2 mm. in diameter but may become 3 mm. or more, and are thus without doubt 
demersal. 
1 Smitt has recorded about At. macrocephala from Punta Arenas that the ovaries were “commençant 
à renfler” in July. (Poiss. de l’expédition scient, à la Terre de Feu. I. Nototheniæ. Bih. K. Vet. Akad. 
Hand!. Bd. 23. Stockholm 1897.) 
2 Smitt says about this species (1. c.) “déjà en décembre mais plus encore au mois de mai les œufs 
sont murs, c’est-à-dire que sa propagation se fait probablement depuis l’été jusqu’à l’automne”. 
