37 
Mr. E. W. L. Holt on the Ova of Gobius. 
picro- carmine the pedicle of attachment in our ova takes the 
carmine stain very deeply, whilst the zona (and external 
membrane if present) is quite unaffected by it. 
This seems to induce the belief that the process of attach- 
ment is similar in nature to filaments of an external mem- 
brane rather than representing an everted membrane as in 
Osmerus. 
Turning to the question of the parent fish, Professor 
MTntosh has kindly given me a drawing of the eggs of 
Gobius niger from the Channel Islands, which will be seen to 
present some points of resemblance to those under discussion. 
Both are considerably elongated and both possess filamentous 
processes at their lower ends. In G . niger , however, the 
mesh work is less distinct than in ours and the eggs are fixed 
in rows by the interlacing of their filaments. In both forms 
the perivitelline space would appear to be large *. 
Of the nature of the yolk in Professor Prince’s specimens 
or in Gobius niger I am unable to speak. The yolk in our 
eggs, however, presents great likeness to that of a larval 
form common in this bay and long since identified by Pro- 
fessor MTntosh with a species of goby. Two species are 
common here, viz. G. Ruthensparri and G. minutus. In the 
Seventh Annual Report of the Scotch Fishery Board Professor 
MTntosh, writing il On the Pelagic Fauna of the Bay of 
St. Andrews during the months of 1888,” mentions young 
gobies (chiefly G. minutus) as occurring in some numbers in 
the net in July and August, ranging in size from 3*5 to 11 
millim. Their occurrence much earlier (at stages too young 
for diagnosis of species according to our present knowledge 
of this genus) is frequent, but their ova have never been 
found here, probably because other forms have occupied 
attention. A few larval forms appeared this year in April 
and May, of one of which I append a figure (fig. 6). Larval 
gobies are readily distinguished by the characteristic pigmen- 
tation and very early appearance of a conspicuous air-bladder. 
The specimen figured measured 3*57 millim. The anus is 
slightly anterior to median, the pectorals are large and fan- 
* Professor Prince, writing to me from Valentia under date May 25, 
1890, describes some egg3 that had j ust been found, during the cruise 
under the auspices of the Koyal Dublin Society, in the pools about the 
Beginnish Islands. In shape they strongly resemble those of G. niger , 
and they are placed side by side on end, as in our form. From a rough 
sketch the perivitelline space appears very large ; the length is about 
T V inch. Professor Prince is developing these eggs, and will no doubt 
be able to throw some light on to their species. Judging from the fact 
that a female G. Ruthensparri was taken in the same pool, he thinks it 
probable that they belong to that species. 
