302 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



per cent. The data relative to the average yield of oil from the liver 

 of the Greenland shark vary greatly. When a Norwegian writer states 

 that a single large Greenland shark yielded 7 hectoliters [about 185 

 gallons] of oil, this must be of course an exaggeration; but other data, 

 which make the yield of the shark's liver from one-fifth hectoliter to 3 

 hectoliters, will not give us a correct idea either, as a shark having 2 

 barrels [a "barrel," as used in this article, contains about 44 gallons] of 

 liver will always be a very large fish. Kroyer gives the average yield 

 of a liver as 120 potter [I pot equals 1 quart, about] ; while Rosted says 

 that 1£ barrels of fat liver will produce a barrel of oil, therefore 160 

 potter will be obtained from 2 barrels of liver. In Iceland the livers are 

 not counted, but measured with a peculiar Icelaud measure, the Jciitur. 

 On the west coast of Iceland, 18 kuturs of liver make a barrel, and at 

 Ofiord 15 Tcuturs make a barrel. At present one generally calculates 

 on getting from one barrel of liver three-fifths of a barrel of oil, there- 

 fore about the same quantity as given by Rosted. It should be remem- 

 bered, however, that at present much greater care is taken in extract- 

 ing the oil from the livers, that the apparatus has been greatly im- 

 proved, and that steam is frequently employed. 



In 1884 the shark fisheries near Iceland were exceedingly productive. 

 On the west coast not a single vessel got less than 600 barrels of liver 

 during a period of six months. The price was about $6.70 per barrel 

 of liver and $11.25 per barrel of oil. 



The fisheries are carried on partly with open boats, which are princi- 

 pally used in the Faxe Bay and in the Isa fiord. In the southern part 

 of the Faxe Bay the fisheries with open boats do not amount to much, 

 but some such fisheries are carried on in the other parts of the bay, 

 while exteusive open-boat fisheries are carried on in the western fiords, in 

 the Stranda district and on the coast of Nordland. Fisheries with open 

 boats are, of course, carried on in winter, when the fish come near the 

 coast. These fisheries, however, are connected with many dangers, 

 and many boats are lost. If the circumstances would allow it, or if the 

 fishermen had the necessary means, they would certainly get larger 

 vessels. Here is a chance for the Iceland Government to do a good 

 work by advancing some money to the poor fishermen, so that they 

 could buy sea-going vessels. The tonnage of the schooners used on the 

 west coast of Iceland from the Brede Bay to the Isa fiord, varies from 

 20 to 85 tons (costing from $2,680 to $6,332) ; and the total number of 

 these schooners is about 30. There seems now to be a tendency to 

 employ small vessels of from 20 to 30 tons, because the larger vessels 

 require three times as expensive apparatus. 



The fishing season generally extends from January to August. In 

 winter the Greenland shark keeps in shallower water than in summer 

 (in from 40 to 50 fathoms) ; and the young sharks go in still shallower 

 water and within a few miles of the coast, while in summer the sharks 

 must be sought at a distance of 20 [Danish ?] miles from the coast, and 



