THE SCARCER FISHES IN ABERDEEN MARKET 245 



identified by Dr Giinther, in July 1889, in the Flying Fox 

 Expedition, off the S.W. of Ireland, in 315 fathoms; another 

 specimen was got in the same region by Mr Holt, in 

 November 1904, in 337 fathoms. 



Four "small specimens" of the fish were got by the 

 Travailleur Expedition (1882) in the Bay of Biscay, at from 

 433 to 670 fathoms (Vaillant) ; the smallest measured 13 cm., 

 and still bore remains of the yolk-sac. One was got by the 

 Knight Errant in the Faeroe Channel, in 555 fathoms 

 (Giinther) ; it measured 5 in. in length of trunk, and therefore, 

 presumably, about 7 in., or 17-5 cm., in total length. Three 

 were obtained by the Triton in the same region (Giinther), 

 in from 505 to 555 fathoms; they measured in length of 

 trunk i|, 2|, and 3 in., or say 5, 9, 10-5 cm. in total length. 

 Two more were got by Mr Holt off the S.W. of Ireland : 

 one of 13 cm. (September 1907), in 491 to 520 fathoms; 

 and one (August 1907) of 19 cm., in 707 to 710 fathoms. It 

 is very noteworthy that these smallest of Mr Holt's specimens 

 were got in two of the deepest of his trawls. To this list, 

 we may add the young female (of 20 cm.) already mentioned 

 as having been taken by the Goldseeker in July 191 3, in deep 

 water, 80 or 90 miles N.E. of Shetland. 



So far, then, as the Western or Atlantic area is concerned, 

 it would appear that both the eggs and young of this fish 

 occur towards the lowest limits of the known depths to which 

 the species descends. This is in accord with Dr Gunther's 

 opinion, who in his Challenger Report expressed his belief 

 that Chimaera " is a deep-sea fish, and one which propagates 

 its species in deep water" ; and this view he maintained, and 

 held to be confirmed, in a later paper, when he was describing 

 the egg from the Flying Fox. 



But in addition to what we have already seen and 

 discussed, we know a good many other facts concerning 

 Chimaera's habits from various Scandinavian writers ; and 

 what they tell us of its seasonal distribution and reproduction 

 off the Norwegian coast is very important. According to 

 Grieg, Gunner's ovarian egg was found in March : Lilljeborg 

 found two, nearly ripe, in a fish caught in February : Malm 

 got others in May and June. Grieg got two well-developed 



