14 



tlie Director meiitions that in February 1903 we found imraerous pelagic eggs 

 South of Møen but none in March 1903. Our investigations sliowed that the 

 saliuity at the bottom (12 fm.) in February was 17.4 "/ooi ™ March lO.o "/qq. In 

 March 1903 we also sought tor pelagic eggs to tlie east of Møen, but did not find 

 any until we were out in 22 fathoms depth and liere only at less than a fathom's 

 deptli from tlie bottom. There eau be no doubt that tlie pelagic eggs, found in 

 February 1903 to the south of Møen, had now moved further to the east, if they 

 had not succumbed. In April 1903, when we were again to tlie east of Møen, and 

 in May 1903 when the German naturalists (Ehrenbaum and Strodtmaun 1. cit.) 

 were making investigations there, the conditions were as in March; there were no 

 pelagic fish eggs in less than 21 fathoms depth. 



We may take it as certaiu, that tlie fish eggs, tvhich are spawned in the 

 true Baltic, remain in that sea. How far and to wliat extent fish eggs are carried 

 into the true Baltic from withonf, is difficult to determine. In the western part of 

 the Western Baltic we have ofteu found the eggs confined to tlie bottom-water; 

 for example: 



D. 27—3—03. Staber Huk (Fehmarn) in S. W. to S.; 16 fra. 

 O fm.— 5., " C. — 12., %„ salinity 

 8 » — o.j » — 18.- » » 

 16 > —3., > — 21.6 ' > 

 Pelagic net on the surtace, 5 minntes: no eggs 

 » > at ea. 8 fm. » : » » . 



> » on pole at bottom » ; ca. 50 » . 



The ''Nautisk-meteorologisk Aarbog" also shows, that salt water often 

 streams from the west part the lightship at Gedser Reef, that is, from tlie west 

 into the true Baltic; the pelagic eggs must therefore accompany it. 



Pelagic fish eggs raust now and then be carried into the true Baltic 

 through the Sound also, as very salt water, aceordiug to the "Nautisk-meteorologisk 

 Aarbog", often passes down from the nortli past the light-ship at Drogden, which 

 is anchored almost at the boundary between the waters mentioned. 



From tilis it appears, that pelagic fish eggs are freqiient in all tlie Danish 

 waters. In the North Sea, at least some of the eggs float in the tipper lagers, in the 

 true Baltic tliey are only found near the hottom, and in the intermediate waters there 

 are all transitional stages hettveen these extremes. The eggs are carried from the Danish 

 ■waters, according as they fioat in the surface or hoUom-waters, sometimes in the direc- 

 tion of the North Sea, sometimes in the direction of the true Baltic. When the eggs 

 are confined to the Imttom-ivater, they are often retaincd where the lioftom forms hasins 

 or depressions; especially is this the case in the western part of the ivestern Baltic. 



The determination of the species of the pelagic fish eggs has not been made 

 very completely during the investigations we have hitherto carried out. But few 

 were made in 1903 and only when the Director was on board; nor in 1904 was 

 much time used in the determination of the pelagic eggs. Nevertiieless, in the 

 latter year, the eggs of the rockling (Onos sp.), plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), flounder- 

 dab (Pleuronectes fiesus-limandaj, sole (Solea sp.), dragonet (Callionymus sp.), sprat 

 (Clupea sprattus) have hardly ever escaped our attention, nor also those of the 

 loug-rough dab (Drepanopsetta platessoides), except perhaps on the March cruise in 



