6 LÖNNBERG, FISHES FROM SPITZBERGEN AND KING CHARLES LAND. 
is not diminished, but rather strengthened by my investiga- 
tions, as will be shown. According to the author mentioned 
the length of the head is in the G. ventralis 9 27,9 2 of the total length 
and > 2 3 a? > 3 3» GÅ PUSLULNDEY > SÖKES IEEE > 
My measurements show that in the 4 large females of G. ven- 
tralis the same percentage varies from 24,8 to 26,9. But in 
the small specimens (yearlings) from this collection the same 
percentage varies from 26,6 to 28,6 and even, in a specimen 
of only 38 mm. total length, to 29,0. G. pistilliger thus re- 
presents with regard to the development of the head a more 
juvenile stage than G. ventralis (conf. Smitt 1. c.). A similar 
result is obtained by comparing the distance from the be- 
ginning of the first dorsal to that of the second dorsal fin 
with the total length. SmMitt gives in this case for G. ven- 
tralis 19,3 2», for G. pistilliger 18,9 4. I have found this per- 
centage to vary in the four large specimens from 19,0 4 to 
21,7 2, but in the youngs it varies from 16,6 2 to 18,6! 36, 
thus more similar to the same in G. pistilliger. The different 
development of the ventral fins in these two forms may be 
the easiest characteristic to detect. In the four large G. 
ventralis I have found the length of the ventral fins to be 
only from 17,2 « to 17,7 2 of the total length and in the 
youngs from 11,6 2 to 13,1 2» of the same. In the male G. 
pistilliger according to Smitt, this percentage rises to 38. In 
this case it is thus G. ventralis that has retained a more 
juvenile character. 
CoLLETT has remarked (1. c. p. 28) that in very young 
individuals of this species the uppermost preopercular spine 
is comparatively longer than in the adult fish so that it 
nearly or quite reaches the posterior margin of the operculum. 
I have confirmed this from the material on hand. To judge 
from the figures of G. pistilliger in the »Scandinavian Fishes» 
this latter species also in this respect resembles the young 
G. ventralis. "The distance between the ventral and anal fins 
is considerably larger in the adult fishes than in the youngs, 
so that in the three largest specimens it varies from 25,1 to 
27,5 2 of the total length, but in the small ones the same 
percentage is from 20;0 to 23,3.! 
1 Another relative characteristic mentioned by Smitt (1. ce. p. 162) is 
that in G. pistilliger > the base of the second dorsal fin measures 82,6 4 
