DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE HISTORY OF SOME TELEOSTS 
563 
Specimens 15.0 mm long . — The body has become more robust but remains com- 
pressed throughout. The eyes are lateral in position; the mouth is large, terminal 
to slightly superior and nearly or quite as oblique as in 10-inm fish; and the maxil- 
lary reaches nearly opposite middle of eye. The fins, including the spinous dorsal, 
are all well developed. The caudal is strongly rounded to pointed and fully as long 
as the head; the long ventral disk usually reaches nearly to or even beyond the origin 
of the anal; the dorsal spines are rather long and slender, the longest ones being equal 
to or slightly longer than the eye and snout; and the posterior rays of the second 
dorsal and anal frequently reach the base of the caudal when deflected. Pigmenta- 
tion has progressed considerably, for nearly the entire body is covered with minute 
dark points. The color markings along the ventral and dorsal outlines, described for 
smaller fish, in most specimens have become somewhat less pronounced (fig. 54). 
It is evident from the foregoing description that nearly all the structural char- 
acters of the adult, exclusive of scales, are developed at a length of 15.0 mm and 
identification is comparatively easy. The scales first appear when the fish is about 18 
mm long and they become evident on the caudal peduncle first, and from there squa- 
ma tion proceeds forward until it is virtually completed when the fish reaches a length 
of about 23 mm. 
Figure 54 . — Microgobius sp. From a specimen 15 mm long. 
It is interesting that in specimens from about 16 to 25 mm long the ventral disk 
is proportionately longer than in larger fish, generally reaching to or a little beyond 
the origin of the anal at this size. 
Microgobius and Gobiosoma, at a length of about 15 mm, differ strongly. 
Microgobius now has a more compressed body ; a much narrower and deeper head with 
the eyes fully lateral; the mouth is much larger, more strongly oblique, and terminal 
to slightly, superior; and the fins are much higher than those in Gobiosoma. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE YOUNG 
It already has been stated under the section of this paper dealing with spawning 
that the larvae of Microgobius were taken virtually over the entire area in which tow 
net collections were made. This area includes Beaufort Harbor, the adjacent sounds 
and estuaries, and at sea, 13 to 15 miles offshore. The variation in depth over this 
area ranges from a few feet to 12 fathoms. 
The larvae were taken in inside waters 37 times and offshore 20 times. The inside 
catches, besides being more numerous, generally contained a larger number of fish per 
catch. A total of about 90 larvae was taken outside, whereas a total of about 760 
larvae w T as taken inside. Although a somewhat greater number of hauls probably 
was made in the inside waters, that difference would not offset the great difference 
between the number of larvae taken in inside and outside waters. It may be con- 
