298 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



spawn, but this had probably been caused by their having been chased 

 and scared by codfish, an occurrence which seems quite common during 

 the early part of the fisheries. Fifty- three per cent of the herring 

 which I examined were males, and 47 per cent were females. The 

 average weight of the sexual organs was 46.6 grams. The temperature 

 of the water varied from 5°.9 to 6°. 3 Celsius. 



On February 6 and 7 all the herring caught on the coast near TJtsire 

 were full of spawn, which, however, was loose. The temperature of 

 the water on February 6, from the surface to the depth of 70 meters, 

 varied from 5°,9 to 6° and on the 7th at the same depth from 5°.9 to 

 6o.3 Celsius. 



On February 8, 63 per cent of the herring which I received were 

 females and 37 per cent males ; and on the 9th 71 per cent females and 

 29 per cent males. On both days the herring were full of spawn, all of 

 which was loose. 



On February 14 I received about 30 codfish, caught at a depth of 120 

 meters northeast of Nordvaag. The contents of their stomachs con- 

 sisted in all cases of herring spawn, which, as the embryo was scarcely 

 visible, must have been ejected by the herring during the days imme- 

 diately preceding February 14. 



On February 16 I found spawn, while scraping the bottom near 

 Jsordvaag, and lines hauled in the same day were covered with spawn. 

 On the 15th the temperature, at a depth of from to 70 meters, varied 

 between 5°.2 and 5°.6 Celsius, and on the 16th, at the same depth, from 

 5o to 5°.4. 



On February 19 it was observed for the first time this season that 

 herring' had spawned in shallow water near Urter; and on the 20th, 21st, 

 and 22d the herring had literally whitened the sea all round Urter. 

 By bottom-scraping some days later great masses of roe were brought 

 to the surface round the Sveaboerne Islands (north of Urter), and be- 

 tween these islands and Urter. Near Urter herring spawn could be 

 found in every sound and bay, from the surface down to a depth of 40 

 or 50 meters. The temperature of the water near Urter, at a depth of 

 from to 70 meters, during these days varied between 4°.9 and 5°.3 

 Celsius. 



On February 21st 41 per cent of the herring which I received were 

 females and 59 per cent were males; on the 22d 42 per cent females and 

 58 per cent males ; and on the 23d there were among the herring caught 

 near Kalstoe 54 per cent males and 46 per cent females. In average 

 years it is the rule that in the beginning of the fisheries the female her- 

 ring are in the majority, and only after the fisheries have progressed 

 for some time is this reversed. But this year it was observed as early 

 as February 15, therefore at a time when spawning had just commenced, 

 that the male herring were much more numerous than the females; and 

 this remained so during the rest of the fishing season. 



On February 25 the herring spawned near Kvittingerne, and near 



