2c8 Mr. Home on the Mode of breeding 
and even in the two ovaria cf the same fish. I have seen five 
of the full size in one ovarium, and only two in the other ; 
in another fish there were three in each, and so on to a great 
variety. 
The oviducts enlarge, and become exceedingly extended. In 
a fish 27 inches long, each oviduct was 26 inches in length ; 
its internal surface was formed into three distinct cavities, 
separated from one another by contractions in the coats of the 
canal. The first of these begins from the orifice that receives 
the yolk, and is pyramidal in its form ; it is ten inches in length, 
and gradually diminishes in its capacity, the coats being 
extremely elastic, which throws the internal membrane into 
folds in a longitudinal direction, taking a very serpentine 
course. At the termination of this portion, the contraction is 
formed by the interposition of a substance of a fibrous structure, 
and light grey colour, between the external coat and internal 
membrane, forming a circular band, which is divided into 
three equal parts by two circular parallel lines on the internal 
membrane. This band is half an inch broad, and its internal 
surface has a glandular appearance. The second cavity is 
only six inches long, its internal membrane is very vascular, 
and thrown into plicae in a longitudinal direction, longer, 
thicker, and less numerous than those of the first portion ; 
they are smeared over with mucus. This cavity is separated- 
from the third, by a transverse fold of the internal membrane 
in a contracted state. 
The third portion is ten inches long, and forms the cavity 
in which the eggs are retained, till the young, fishes are formed, 
and capable of taking care of themselves. The eggs, however,, 
are not loose in the oviduct, as in birds, but a certain number, 
