.')?.6 



SCANDINAVIAX FISHES. 



not very distinct prolongations in front below the spinal 

 ■ohunii. To the left side of this mass we find the 

 ui'inary bladder, which is large and saccate, and is dis- 

 charged behind the genital apertui'e. 



The liurliot is the only iish of this family that 

 lives in fresh water; but in its entire structure, as ^ve 

 have seen, it conies extremelj' near the Ling and other 

 true marine fishes. It is spread over a fairly wide 

 portion of the globe, namely almost the whole of Eui'ope, 

 the north of Asia, and North America. From its range 

 we see that it is really a northern fish; and it seems to 

 attain the highest point of its development in the lakes 

 and rivers tiiat dischai'ge themselves into tlic Arctic 

 ( 'cean. In America, however, it goes as far south as 

 the 37th degree of latitude, l)ut in Eurojje scarcely be- 

 \()nd tlie 4r)t]i. Even in the lari^e lakes of Lombardv 

 it is common, according to Giglioli. In Russia, ac- 

 t'ording to GRiivni, the Burbot is found (;verywhere in 

 fresh water, with the exception of tlie rivers tliat flow 

 into the south of the Caspian Sea. In central Europe 

 it grows less and less plentiful furtlier west, until in 

 (jreat Britain it may be described as rare, \vhile in Ire- 

 land it is never found. In Scandinavia too, it is prin- 

 cipally an eastern and northern tisli, which in Norway, 

 according to Collett, is entirely wanting in the diocese 

 of Bergen and along the greater part of the west coast. 

 Throughout the fresh water of Finmark, on the other 

 hand, it is common. Tliis is also the case in Swedish 

 Lapland, at Karesuando, Juckasjiirvi, and Quickjock for 

 example". In Jeratland the Burbot is one of the fishes 

 that go highest up the fells''. In central S\veden it seems 

 to l)e more [>lentiful than further south, and it is one 

 of the species brought to Stockhdlm in the greatest 

 quantity during the greater part of the year. It is said 

 occasionally to descend from Lake Wener, where it is 

 t'ommon, into the River Gotha when the locks are open- 

 ed". According to the reports sent in to the Fisheries 

 Connnission of 1881'' the Burbot occurs throughout the 

 whole of Sweden", and in the District of Orebro attains 

 a length of 3.j in. (89 cm.) and a weight of 2fi' j lbs. 

 (11 '9 kgm.). In the rivers and lakes of the Scanian 



plain and the Danish islands it is rare. Feddersex'^ 

 gives several instances of the occurrence of the Burbot 

 in Jutland, and in the Elbe it is common''; but in Laa- 

 land and Falster, according to this authoi', as well as 

 on Bornholm, it is wanting. Kkoyer, however, once 

 sa^v a very large specimen in Bornholm, and the species 

 occurs in several of the lakes and streams of Gothland'', 

 as well as in the brackish water of the Baltic. It attains 

 its maximum size in the regions where it is most plenti- 

 ful, exceeding the average size at the northern limit of 

 its range, but in Scania apparently smaller in every case. 



Its favourite haunts are the lakes with clear water 

 and a- stony bottom, l)ut it is also found often on a 

 clayey bottom and in the larger, more sluggish streams 

 and rivers. Though it does not live in the sea, it is 

 met with at several spots in the Baltic island-belts where 

 the water is only slightly salt and therefore al)ounds 

 chiefly in fresh-water fishes. 



During the greater part of the year tlie Burbot 

 frequents deep spots. It is only towards the beginning 

 of winter and during the spawning-season that it joins 

 in a general migration to shallo^ver \v'ater. It is rather 

 sluggish, never collects in shoals, and never appears at 

 the surface, but alwa3'S hugs the bottom, hiding itself 

 among stones, sunken logs, the roots of trees etc., where 

 it lies still, i^referring to await its prey than to seek it. 

 Its capacity of speedy motion is shown, however, by its 

 power of seizing other fishes. According to a statement 

 made by Mr. Gjobel, a Burbot in Lake Wener is known 

 to have swum 13 miles (2IV3 km.) in a night. It was 

 recognised by a. fish-hook in its mouth. Few other 

 fishes have so sui)ple a body and, in consequence thereof, 

 such Eel-like or serpentine movements, and not many 

 are so tenacious of life. The Burbot lives long after 

 it is taken out of the water, without the surface of the 

 body drying, this being apparently due to the copious 

 secretion of mucus. The fishermen tear off the isthmus 

 to kill the fish, an operation which is known as 'slaugh- 

 tering the Burljot.' This is done on account of their 

 strange lielief that the fish would (jtherwise eat its own 

 liver, which is considered the best part of it. 



" Cf. too WlUEGKii.N, Handl. 0. Upphjsn. rvr. iSrerifjes Fiskerier, I, p. 41 (Aflr. ur H:mdl. riir. Laiidtbr., 24:ile delen). 

 '' See Olsson, Ofvers. VeL-Akad. Fiirli. 1876, No. 3, p. 138 and 1882. No. 10, p. 51. 

 ' Malm, 1. c. 



'' I'liderdaiiigl Betiiiikande ined Forslag till ny Fiskerisladga iii. in., Stockh. 1883, Uil. Ill, p. 150. 



' In thesu reports it does not appear as an inhabitant of Gotldand or of Blekinge; but its occnrrence in the former locality is re- 

 iirded by Lindstkum (1. c.) and in the latter by Gosselm.\.n {ZooL, Bot. laittag. inoiii Blel:, disp. Lund 18G4. p. 5). 

 •'■ Naturh. Tidskr. Kbhvn, ser. 3, vol. XII, p. 75. 

 ■' Khoveh, 1. c. 



'' Ll.\D.STIlUM, 1. C. 



