634 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



only constitute au extremely small portion of the long time which I spent 

 on these trips. And still I think that even these sporadic observations 

 have produced some results not only of scientific but also of practical 

 interest, e. g., that off the coast of Cluistianssuud and not near as dis- 

 tant from the coast as at Aalesund rich bank-fisheries might be carried 

 on. I have not the slightest doubt that the same will apply to many 

 other points of our long-stretched coast. But in order to obtain certain 

 results, which can only be done by systematic scientific observations, a 

 common sailing-vessel will be comi)aratively useless, while a great deal 

 might be accomplished in a short time if these observations could be 

 made from a steamer. 



As I of course do not expect that the government will risk the consid- 

 erable expense, and place a steamer at my disposal, I have thought of a 

 way in which this difficulty might be solved without any great increase 

 of expenditure. I have an idea that the examination of the raised bot- 

 toms might easily be connected with the soundings made along our coast, 

 which have been made for several years from a government steamer, and 

 which are to be continued. I consider it absolutely certain that my 

 investigations would not only be very closely connected with these 

 soundings but would also serve to supplement these soundings and aid 

 in reaching the object in view, viz, a complete knowledge of the forma- 

 tion and nature of the bottom. Yarions conditions can only be exam- 

 ined very imperfectly with the sounding-line, other apparatus and 

 another method of taking observations being required. 



I will here only mention that in the map of the Sondmore district pub- 

 lished from these surveys the large ridge is always marked as a solid 

 rock, which, according to my observations, is an error ; it is not a solid 

 rock, but consists of numberless large and small loose stones rounded 

 off and polished by the constant action of the waves. It is quite natural 

 that mere soundings could not give a correct idea of the bottom, as only 

 a clayey or sandy bottom will leave traces on the line and plummet, 

 while stones or rock will not leave the slightest trace. It is well known 

 that a bottom consisting of loose stones is always considered the best 

 fishing ground, much better than when it consists of solid rock ; so that 

 from a mere practical point of view it is of the greatest importance to 

 know the exact nature of the bottom. A sounding-line will not suffice 

 to ascertain this, but bottom scrapers are required which will bring up 

 specimens of the bottom. In order to ascertain in how far a bottom may 

 be suited for the sojourn of large numbers of fish it is very important 

 to examine the fauna of the bottom, which also can only be done with 

 the bottom-scraper ; it is also desirable that experiments be made with 

 various fishing-implements. 



If all these investigations are combined with other purely physical 

 experiments regarding the direction of the current and the degree of 

 temperature at the different depths, I believe that we would obtain a 

 much more complete and useful picture of our sea-bottoms than mere 



