XII.— ON THE SPAWNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE 



COD-FISH.* 



By Professor G. O. Sars 



Commissioned by the Norwegian government to examine our cod- 

 fisheries, in order to arrive at practical results that may be useful to our 

 fishermen, I have been enabled to observe the spawning and develop- 

 ment of the cod-fish, (Gadus morrhua,) and shall endeavor to present the 

 results of my observations. I have already, in my former reports to the 

 department, briefly spoken of the most important observations and 

 showed their practical bearing, so that in the following I shall refer 

 only to the scientific features of the subject. It is true that a subject 

 of such general physiological interest as the propagation and develop- 

 ment of the higher classes of animals has already been thoroughly 

 treated by many scientists, so that it would seem almost superfluous to 

 write a treatise on this subject ; but with regard to the propagation and 

 development of fishes there are but few works, and these comprise only 

 a few kinds, (all fresh-water fishes,) while the observations regarding 

 the numerous salt-water fishes are only scattered here and there in the 

 shape of incidental remarks. Thinking that for the sake of comparison 

 it might be interesting to secure a somewhat connected representation 

 of the spawning and development in one class of salt-water fishes, I 

 determined during my stay on the Lofoten Islands, in the year 1865, to 

 give particular attention to this point, especially as, duriug former visits 

 to these islands, I had already made very remarkable aud unexpected 

 observations of this kind. 



Of all our cod-fisheries that which is carried on during the first four 

 months of the year along the Lofoten Islauds is the most important 

 aud the most profitable. The winter cod-fish at that season approaches 

 the coast in vast numbers for the purpose of spawning. The regularity 

 with which, from time immemorial, the cod-fish has at a certain season 

 come here to spawn, notwithstanding the many difficulties thrown in its 

 way, especially by nets, would lead us to the conclusion that it must find 

 spawning-places here which, on account of the nature of the bottom, are 

 particularly favorable, and where, by instinct, it was compelled to deposit 

 its roe. I was therefore much astonished to hear that this was not the 

 case, and that the cod-fish has no spawning-places which are determined 

 by the nature of the bottom, but that it drops its spawn free in the sea 



* Om Vintertorskens, (Gadus morrhua.) Forplantning og Udvikling: in Forbandl. 

 Vid. Sslsk. Christiania, 18G8, pp. 237-249. Trauslated by H. Jacobson. 



