22 E. LÖNNBERG, TlIE ICHTHYOLOGY OF TllE CASPIAN SEA. 



These measurements agree on the whole quite closely 

 with the corresponding ones of the Scandinavian bream. The 

 distance betweeu the snout and the anal fin seems, however, 

 to be a little smaller in the Caspian form than in the Scan- 

 dinavian one in which latter it varies between 59 to 62 per- 

 cent (according to Smitt) of the total length. In the same 

 way the percentage expressing the distance between the snout 

 and the ventral fins is larger in the Scandinavian form in 

 which it is 44 — 42,5 (according to Smitt). This influences, 

 of course, the percentage for the prseabdominal length which 

 thus is larger (23 — 20) in the Scandinavian form. In these 

 respects, accordingly, the Scandinavian bream represents a 

 more jnvenile stage than the Caspian one with its advanced 

 ventrals. With regard to the position of the dorsal fin the 

 condition seems to be the opposite, although this is less pro- 

 nounced. In the Scandinavian bream the distance between 

 the snout and the dorsal fin increases with age, and varies 

 (according to Smitt) between 52 and 58 percent of the total 

 length. With regard to the size of those fishes of which the 

 measurements are written in the above table this relation 

 seems rather small especially in the greatest specimen, but 

 the number of specimens measured is of course too small to 

 allow any decisive judgement. The paired fins may also be 

 found to be a little smaller in the Caspian than in the Scan- 

 dinavian bream. 



In the Volga delta the »leschtsch» is caught in immense 

 quantities although the annual catch is subjected to rather 

 great fluctuations. It is also distributed in Transcaucasia, 

 but has probably passed the optimum on its range south- 

 wards as it is said to be small of growth there. In GrRiMM's 

 table över the Caspian fishes the bream is not represented in 

 the column in which those fishes are recorded which live in 

 the .sea. It does so, however, which may be proved b}' the 

 fact that great numbers are caught by seining at the open 

 coast near Baku. At an establishment near the Tatar village 

 Schich in this neighbourhood I received information about 

 this and as a striking example I was told that at one time 

 not less than 3,480 breams were captured simultaneously. 

 The first of May when the water held a temperature of 



+ 11,2^ at the surface and + 10,8° C. at a depth of about 8 m. 



ripe males with flowing milk were found in the Volga delta. 



