On the southern shores of New England pipefish breed from March to August; probably through this same period on the shores of the Gulf of Maine. Male pipefishes nurse the eggs in the brood pouch (p. 313), the flaps of which ordinarily lie flat but are swollen and have their edges cemented together during the breeding season. The protruding oviduct of the female is inserted into the opening of the pouch of the male and a dozen or more eggs are passed over. This occurs several times in succession, with intervals of rest, until the pouch is filled, the male working the eggs down toward the rear end of his pouch by body contortions. Fertilization is supposed to take place during the transference of the eggs from one parent to the other. The eggs become embedded in the lining of the brood pouch, and it has been established for the European pipefish (probably this applies equally to our North American species) that the embryos within the eggs are nourished by the epithelial lining layer of the pouch, so that the latter functions as a placenta.