116 
SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
millimetre between tlie first and second days is normal and 
noteworthy. 
On July 28 a swarm of ‘ ‘ lula ” fry was found close to the bank in a 
part of the Colpetty arm of the Colombo Lake. They were inces¬ 
santly streaming to and from the surface, and their presence in the 
thick water was made manifest by this action. They were coloured 
a soft reddish brown or brown and pink, quite different from the 
black and yellow of ££ madaya ” fry (0. punctatus) of the same size. 
Their total length (including the caudal fin) varied from about 15 
to about 17 mm.—a size which corresponds with the dimensions of 
larvae which I have reared in an aquarium for sixty-three days after 
hatching. The general colour-effect is dominated by a broad lateral 
reddish orange band occupying almost the entire height of the 
myotomes, commencing from the eye on each side, and ending behind 
with a rounded edge at the base of the caudal fin concentric with the 
terminal contour of the latter. The iris is golden with a red flush ; 
there is a bright golden occipital point; and the basis of the anal 
fin is dense black along its whole length. The colour of the fry is 
essentially that which it had acquired at half the size ; and it retains 
this colour until it has doubled the size, after which the definitive 
markings begin to appear.* 
On the same occasion (July 28) I obtained a sample of “madaya” 
fry of the same general dimensions as the “ lula” fry from a neigh¬ 
bouring muddy swamp. Instead of the reddish brown sub translucent 
ground colour of the ££ lula ” fry, the £ £ madaya ” fry are characterized 
by a blackish ground colour, upon which the bright golden yellow 
bands stand out clear, namely, a pair of lateral bands about half the 
width of the £ £ lula ” bands, occupying the central third of the height 
of the myotonies and ending behind in a point extending about 
one-third of the length of the caudal fin into the substance of the fin. 
Along the length of the back is a golden yellow line running along the 
basis of the dorsal fin, and presenting a more or less distinct interrup¬ 
tion in the occipital region in front of the fin at the spot where there is 
a minute golden speculum in ‘ £ lula. 5 ’ Besides all this, the £ £ madaya ” 
fry present a clear yellow spot on the snout and do not possess the 
black basis of the anal fin. The postlarval stage of ££ lula ” is thus 
easily distinguishable from the postlarval ££ madaya.” Moreover, 
at this stage the median fins have completed their differentiation 
from the embryonic matrix. £ £ Lula ” and £ £ madaya ” fry of 17 mm. 
exhibit the following differences in respect of their median fin-rays 
and lateral bands :— 
££ Lula ” .. D 47, A 30, Lat. band 1 *20 mm. wide. 
££ Madaya ” .. I) 30, A 20, Lat. band * 60 mm. wide. 
* A. Willey. Fishery observations. Spol. Zeyl., V., 1908, p. 145 et seq. I 
take this opportunity of correcting the name of a protozoon referred to in this 
note as Blepharisma. It should have been Loxodes . 
