44 



viste i alt væsentligt fnldkommen samme Bygning som hos 

 fuldvoxne Individer, nden at det mindste Spor af nogen 

 forudgaaende Larvetilstand var at bemærke hos samme. 



Forekomst og Levevis. Ifølge sin hele Organisation 

 synes tien her omhandlede Form at maatte antages at føre 

 et Slags halvt pelagiskt Liv ; men andre Ord, jeg har Grund 

 til at antage, at den ikke som de i det foregaaende omtalte 

 Former er strengt bunden til selve Havbunden, men streifer 

 frit om i Våndet. Dog tyder Øinenes rudimentære Be- 

 skaffenhed med Bestemthed hen paa, at dens Ophold væsent- 

 lig kun kan være indskrænket til de dybere Yandlag; noget 

 der ogsaa vinder fuld Bekræftelse ved de under vor Ex- 

 pedition gjorte Erfaringer. Alle de af os erholdte Exein- 

 plarer er nemlig optagne ved Hjælp af Bundskraben eller 

 Trawlnettet fra de største Dybder i den kolde Area, fra 

 452 til 1862 Favne. Paa grundere Vand har vi aldrig 

 faaet den op, heller ikke nogensinde i Overlladenettet, 

 skjondt dette i stor Udstrækning har været benyttet under 

 Expeditionen. 



Endelig fortjener det at beniærkes, at B,. Collett har 

 fund et Levninger af nærværende Krebs i Ventrikelen hos 

 et Par Dybvandsfiske, hvis Organisation er en saadan. at 

 de med Sikkerhed maa antages ikke at kunne gjøre meget 

 lange Udflugter fra Havbunden, nemlig Raja lu/perborea 

 Collett, og Lycodes frigidus Collett, begge optagne fra det 

 store Dyb i den kolde Area. 



Som en Mærkelighed fortjener det dog her at anføres, 

 at det af Buchholz undersogte Exemplar blev, som det 

 heder, tåget lige i Vandskorpen. Hvis dette virkelig for- 

 holder sig saa, maa det dog antages at have været et ganske 

 anomalt Træf. Exemplaret maa vel af en eller anden til- 

 fældig Aarsag. ved Undervandsstrøm eller paa anden Maade» 

 være bleven bragt op fra de dybere Vandlag, hvor Arten 

 aabenbart maa antages at have sit rette Hjem. 



Skjondt denne Krebs ifolge sine kraftigt udviklede 

 Svømmeredskaber og ringe specifiske Vægt maa antages at 

 være et særdeles livligt Dyr, var der dog altid kun yderst 

 svage Livsytringer at se hos de af os indfangede Individer, 

 og det uagtet disse som oftest erholdtes i fuldkommen ube- 

 skadiget Tilstand og hurtigst muligt efter Indfangningen 

 blev isolerede i Kar med friskt Søvand. Det synes klart, 

 at Grunden hertil maa være den, at Dyret ved saaledes 

 pludseligt at bringes op til Dagens Lys fra de enorme Dyb, 

 hvori det har sit Tilhold, hensættes under saa abnorme 

 Forhold, at alle Livsfunctioner herved bliver ligesom lam- 

 slaaede. Noget lignende observeres forøvrigt ogsaa i mere 

 eller mindre Grad med de fleste øvrige paa store Dyb 

 levende Sødyr. 



Udbredning. Det af Buchholz beskrevne Individ er- 

 holdtes, som anført, i Havet Øst for Grønland og nær den 

 74de Bredegrad. Under vor Expedition har vi tåget den 

 nærværende Form paa ikke mindre end 14 forskjellige Sta- 

 tioner. samtlige tilhorende den kolde Area. Endelig er af 

 R. Collett fundet Levninger af et Exemplar i Ventrikelen 

 af en Lycodes frigidus fra Stat. 353. hvorfra vi ikke har 

 noteret denne Krebs. 



length, exhibited in all essential characters precisely the 

 same structure as full-grown individuals. without its being 

 possible to detect the slightest trace of a previous larval 

 stage. 



Oeeurrence and Habits. — Judging from its whole 

 organization, the form here treated of would appear to lead 

 a kind of semi-pelagic existence; in other words, I have reason 

 to suppose, that. unlike the forms previously recorded. this 

 animal is not strictly contined to the sea-bottom, but can mo ve 

 about freely through the water. Meanwhile, the rudimentary 

 character of the eyes indicate with absolute certainty its 

 habitat as chiefly lying in the deeper strata, a fact to which 

 the experience derived on the Norwegian Expedition gives 

 full contirmation. All of the specimens collected were 

 brought up in the dredge or trawl from the greatest depths 

 in the co kl area — 452 to 1862 fathoms. In shallower 

 water we never took it, nor in the surface-net, which not- 

 withstanding was extensively used on the Expedition. 



Finally, I will not fail to remark that Mr. R. Collett 

 has found the re mains of this form in the ventricle of one 

 or two deep-water iishes whose organization is such as 

 must infallibly prevent them from ascending to any great 

 distance from the sea-bed, viz. -- Raja hyperborea Collett 

 and Lycodes frigidus Collett, both brought up from the great 

 depths of the cold area. 



As a remarkable coincidence. it is worthy of note. 

 that the specimen examined by Buchholz is said to have 

 been tåken at the surface of the water. Assuming this to 

 have actually been the case, we cannot but regard it as 

 anomolous. The animal bad probably from some incidental 

 carcumstance. by an undercurrent or in some other manner, 

 been carried up trom the deeper strata, where the species 

 must obviously be assumed to have its true habitat. 



Though the form described above, judging from its 

 powerfuUy developed natatory organs and trilling specific 

 weight, must be deemed an exceedingly vivacious animal, 

 the specimens we succeeded in collecting gave without ex- 

 ception but very faint manifestations of life, notwithstanding 

 tbey were captured as a rule in a perfectly unmutilated 

 state and as soon as possible isolated in a vessel containing 

 fresh sea-water. The reason of this must clearly be, that 

 the animal, on being suddenly brought up to the light of 

 day from the enormous depths it inhabits, is ])laced in such 

 abnormal conditions as cannot fail to paralyze all its vital 

 functions. For the rest, similar phenomena may be ob- 

 sei - ved. to a greater or less extent. in most other marine 

 animals whose habitat is the great depths of the ocean. 



Distribution. — The specimen described by Buchholz 

 was tåken, as previously stated. in the open sea, east of 

 Greenland, and near the 74th parallel of latitude. On 

 the Norwegian Expedition. the form occurred at not less 

 than 14 different Stations. all in the cold area. Finally. 

 Mr. R. Collett found the remains of a specimen in the 

 ventricle of Lycodes frigidus. at Stat. 353, from which 

 we had not recorded this Crustacean. 



