540 KEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



vulgaris, and Brosmius vulgaris. Iceland and Finmark have nearly the 

 same genera of Gadido} in common, viz : Gadus, Molva, and Brosmius. 

 The genus Merlucius, with two species, and Gadus Fahricii are found 

 in Iceland, but not in Finmark. The Faroe Islands have also four genera, 

 but only 7 or 8 species : Gadus, with 4 or 5 species; morrMia-callarias, 

 wglejinus, virens, merlangus ; Merlucius communis ; Molva vulgaris, and 

 Brosmius vulgaris. Although these islands are situated about 2° farther 

 south than Iceland, yet they produce less of the Gadidw. This is proba- 

 bly caused by the violent cold current, the great depth, and extreme salt- 

 ness of the water around these islands. The genera and species of 

 Gadidw, common to Iceland and the Faroe Islands, are Gadus morrhua- 

 callarias, wglejinus, virens ; Molva vulgaris, Brosmius vulgaris, and Mer- 

 lucius communis ^ thus the purely northern types, Gadus nanus, Fahricii, 

 and Merlucius argentatus, do not occur. The diminution of species and 

 individuals, as also the disappearance of the northern types, indicate 

 that Iceland and the Faroe Islands are situated at the southern limits 

 of the northern region of the Gadidw. 



A powerful, cold Arctic current, i)roceeding from the Greenland Sea, 

 between Greenland and Iceland to the south, joins a similar one from 

 Davis and Hudson Straits. This current in its course southward crosses 

 about 10° of latitude, a distance of 150 (German) geographical miles. It 

 is deflected to the east by the rotation of the earth and the direction of 

 tbe meeting currents, and combines, in 48° north latitude, and 40° east 

 longitude, Greenwich, with the very warm Gulf Stream (10° C. = 60,8 F.) 

 coming from the South Atlantic Ocean, and also deflected east. They 

 cross each other ; the lighter and warmer Gulf Stream continues its course 

 near the surface, while the Arctic current, passing underneath the Gulf 

 Stream, appears as surface-current near the Azores, onward to the 

 Mediterranean, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. The Arctic current 

 removes the Gadidce region on the American coast 25 degrees or 375 

 geographical miles farthef" south than on the European, and the limit 

 of the inhabitable region for them on the African coast 5° farther south 

 than on the American. 



The southern limits of the Arctic Gadidw region run from the south 

 of Iceland east and south around the Bank of Newfoundland to the 

 Bay of St. Lawrence. No Gadidce are found in the entire region of the 

 cold Arctic current in the North Atlantic Ocean ; its depth is too great 

 by far, amounting to 17,700 feet between Iceland and Newfoundland. 

 This cold current divides the Arctic Gadidce region into an eastern and 

 western part. The latter includes Greenland, Newfoundland and its 

 bank, the Bay of St. Lawrence, Labrador, the countries bordering on 

 the Hudson Bay, as also Arctic North America with its islands as far 

 as Behriog Strait. 



In Greenland occur, according to Eeinhardt, 4 genera and 10 or 11 

 species of Gadidce, some of them rare, and the classification of others 

 uncertain ; but it has undoubtedly few species, only as many as Ice- 



