DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE HISTORY OF SOME TELEOSTS 
571 
greater distance between the last two dorsal spines than between the others, (c) the 
long pectoral fins and ventral disk (reaching about two-thirds the distance from their 
bases to vent), ( d ) the general shape of the head and the small mouth (the maxillary 
scarcely reaching the eye). The head is still somewhat less strongly depressed than 
in the adult, the snout more pointed and the mouth more oblique, (e) the elongate 
body, winch remains more slender than in the adult (depth in the length to base of 
caudal in the adult about 5.0 to 6.25 times, in 13 mm young about 10.0 times), and 
{f) the characteristic color developed on some specimens, especially the oblique bar 
between the eye and the mouth and the wavy dusky bars on the caudal fin. However, 
a series of about five slightly elongate dark spots along the middle of the side, the 
last one being situated on the base of the caudal, which are quite characteristic of the 
adult, are undeveloped in the 13 mm specimens at hand. 
Gobionellus boleosoma, at about 13 mm in length, differs from Gobiosoma bosci 
and gmsburgi, and Microgobius holmesi, of similar length, very prominently in the 
much more slender body, as well as in the smaller mouth, and in the long space 
between the last two dorsal spines. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE YOUNG 
The young were taken in tow nets over nearly the entire area in which collections 
were made, including Beaufort Harbor, the adjoining sounds and estuaries, and off 
Beaufort Inlet to Cape Lookout and at stations as far as 13 to 15 miles offshore. They 
were taken 22 times at offshore stations and 17 times in the inside waters. The young 
appeared in surface hauls only 6 times and in bottom hauls 33 times, indicating that 
the young, like the adults, dwell cluefly on the bottom. We also have many specimens 
taken by the United States Fisheries schooner Grampus in 1917 from Florida to Texas. 
The distribution of the young as to time differs from that of the other common 
gobies at Beaufort in that some individuals, 13 mm and less in length, were taken 
throughout the year, while the other species are not present in collections made during 
the winter months. Very small larvae, under 5.0 mm in length, were taken from 
May to November. 
GROWTH 
The scarcity of the species and the long spawning season resulted in capturing 
comparatively few young, which vary widely in size. It is consequently impossible 
from the few specimens taken to determine definitely the rate of growth. The presence 
in the tow of larvae only about 8.0 mm in length during March and April, which 
evidently were hatched the previous summer or fall, suggests a slow rate of growth, at 
least during the winter months. Sexual maturity apparently is reached at a length of 
about 25 to 30 mm, but it is not known how old a fish is when it attains that length. 
GOBIONELLUS OCEANICUS (PALLAS). OCEAN GOBY 
In addition to the young of G. boleosoma described in the forgoing pages, at least 
one other species is represented. Most of the specimens of the second group are large 
enough to permit a fairly accurate count of the dorsal and anal rays which is about the 
same for each fin, namely, 14 or 15 (rarely 13). This number of rays suggests that the 
specimens either are oceaniciLs or hastatus. The adults of these species are separable 
by the difference in the number of scales in a lateral series (see p. 565). However, no 
scales are developed in the young at hand. Therefore, the specimens cannot be 
definitely identified at this time and are only tentatively referred to oceanicus. 
The specimens of the second group of Gobionellus differ from the first one, 
furthermore, in having a more slender body and in the somewhat more retarded 
