39 



Strange to tell, we do not kuow for certaiu, as yet, where in our 

 seas this very common fish is breeding; but it is suj^ijosed that it must 

 be on deep water, and the migration of silver eels towards the north, 

 which we see ou all our sliores in the autumn, and which at Frederiks- 

 havn and other uorthern points of Jutland is proved also to go in the 

 same direction, seems to indicate that it must be in the Skager Rack we 

 must expect to lind its breeding-place, its eggs, and its tender fry. 



Young Wrasses, of which in August 1898 a great number were caught in 

 the ammodytes-seiue, particularly ou depths from 3 — 6 fathoms. 



Now and then also the grown-up wrasses are caught, but they seem 

 chiefly to live on the stone-banks (see later on). 



Young Lump-suckers are also common on these depths (3 — 6 fathoms), 

 throughout the whole summer. (As to the grown-up fish see later ou). 

 Two rather rare fishes must, most hkel}', also be classed amoug the sta- 



tionary fishes in the zostera belt, viz: 



The five bearded Rockling (Onos nmstela) and the Paddock [Baniceps 

 raninus); both species are caught here, now and then, in weels. 



Fishes wliich, in the breeding-seasou ouly, staj' iu the Zostera-belt: 

 The Herring [Clxpea harengus) comes in here both in spring and autumn. 

 The fry early proves to be strongly marked migratory fish, which in 

 large shoals occur everywhere in the surface of the sea on somewhat 

 low water (see The Sand-banks and Fjords). 

 The Lump-sucker {Cydopferus lumpus) also appears here in early spring. The 

 eggs are deposited in large lumps amoug the zostera where, later on, 

 also the fry lives. Shortly after the breeding the grown-up fish, however, 

 disappears completely from the zostera-belt. 

 The Garfish {Betone acus), in April and May, goes iu on the lowest part of 

 the zostera belt to lay its eggs, and is then — particularly on the Læsø 

 banks — much fished for. The large eggs, which are surrounded by 

 long threads, are attached to the zostera. The fry, which has not at first 

 the characteristic long beak of the grown-up fish, swims about in the 

 surface of the sea like the young herrings. 



Migratory fish in the Zostera belt. 



While some of these occur constantly almost at Ibis locality, there are 

 others which are seen only now and then. 

 To the commonest belong: 



