DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE HISTORY OF SOME TELEOSTS 
633 
around the periphery of the egg; and at 26 hours after fertilization it extended fully 
three-fourths the distance around the egg. Its tail was sharply recurved, its heart was 
beating slowly, and it was capable of considerable movement (fig. 150). 
When next observed, about 36 hours after fertilization, the eggs had hatched; 
that is, hatching had taken place sometime between 26 and 36 hours after fertilization. 
The temperature of the water in the dishes in which the eggs were hatched had varied 
only from about 74° to 76° F. 
Figure 144. — AcUirus fasciatus. From egg in 4-cell stage, 
following the 2-cell stage in about 15 minutes. 
Figure HS.—Achlrus fasciatus. From egg in 8-cell stage, 
following the 4-cell stage in about 15 minutes. 
Figure 146.— -Achirus fasciatus. From egg in 16-cell stage, 
showing irregularity of cells. (Drawn by Effie B. Decker.) 
Figure H7.— Achirus fasciatus. From egg in advanced 
cleavage stage; about 3 to 4 hours after fertilization. 
The older eggs taken at the same time as those for which the development is 
described in the foregoing paragraphs, which contained advanced embryos, hatched 
within 12 hours after collection. As these eggs quite certainly were spawned a day 
earlier than the others, the period of incubation also fell between 26 and 36 hours. 
It may be stated rather definitely, therefore, that the incubation period almost surely 
does not exceed 36 hours, at temperatures usually prevailing at Beaufort during the 
spawning period of the hogchoker. 
