38 Fishery Board for Scotland. 



showed that metamorphosis had not yet begun. There is no reasonable doubt 

 but that these forms had been carried by the currents from the Atlantic into the 

 North Sea, as the prolonged nature of the post-larval hfe keeps them under the 

 influence of the prevaiUng currents for an extended period. 



If we next turn to the records of the post-larval stages of Lophius piscatorius 

 from the North Sea, we find that, whilst the total number of specimens recorded 

 is undoubtedly small, the years 1905 and 1914 are particularly well represented. 

 There is no reason to believe that these records are due merely to chance, as similar 

 investigations were carried out within the area in the intervening years with equal 

 vigour. The year 1905 is of particular interest ; it was the year in which the 

 immigration of Saljm fusiformis of Atlantic origin into the North Sea was especially 

 well marked ; it was the year in which the post-larval form of the southern species 

 Arnoylossus imperialis was captured by the Danish research steamer Thor, between 

 the north of Scotland and Orkney. 



These facts are sufficient justification for suggesting that the main spawning 

 area lies beyond the limits of the North Sea, and that the Atlantic itself may be the 

 main spawning area. It is already well known that the Atlantic is a spawning area, 

 for Agassiz in 1882 was the first to describe the sheets of spawn and the young 

 post-larval stages. The Scottish records made in areas beyond the North Sea 

 also support this view. It must not be forgotten, however, in considering the 

 Scottish captures, that areas outside the lindts of the North Sea have been in- 

 vestigated much less frequently than the areas within the North Sea. Yet, the 

 largest post-larval forms and the smallest bottom forms have been obtained from 

 these Atlantic areas. These large post-larval forms were captured over consider- 

 able depths, at 60° 34' N. ; 3° 53'' W ; 59° 54' N. ; V 6' W. ; and 59° 36' N.; 7° W. ; 

 and the smallest bottom forms yet recorded from Scottish waters were caught 

 at 58° 44' N. ; 7° W.; and 59 °4' N. ; 7° 4' W. There are also the two specimens 

 of post-larval stages which were taken by Schmidt to the south of Iceland over 

 waters of great depth. The fact that these pelagic stages were obtained over areas 

 of very great depths, and that they — already considerably advanced in development 

 — had therefore been carried by the currents for some considerable time, suggests 

 that they had their origin in areas of some considerable depth. 



The capture, by Schmidt, of post-larval forms of Lophiiis jmcatorius in the 

 Atlantic over great depths, west of the British Islands, may now be mentioned. 

 His statements are of very considerable importance in the present instance, and 

 are, therefore, quoted at length. " Of fish young that occurred with the eel larvse, 

 there should first of all be mentioned the Leptocephalus of the conger {Lepto- 

 cejyhalus morrisii) and four other Leptocephali, the young of Fierasfer, Lophius, 

 Molva birkelange, Gadus poutassou, Gacliculus argenleus, Zeugopterus megastoma and 

 spp., a characteristic, plump, pelagic gadoid {Gargilius sp., Ad. Jensen nov. gen. 

 et spec.) Macrurus species, many different Scopelini, etc., as well as adult specimens, 

 some with eggs, of the needle fish Nerophis pelagica and its young. All these forms 

 are true warm-water species of the Atlantic, most of which were not found during our 

 investigations further north in the Atlantic. They clearly belong mainly to the more 

 southerly, warm water-masses than those we had previously investigated with the 

 Thor, even though single specimens of some of them were found by us further north 

 (west of the Faeroes and south of Iceland)." — Dr. Johs. Schmidt, " Contributions 

 to the life-history of the Eel {Anguilla vulgaris, Flem.)" {Rapports et Proces 

 vol. v., Oct. 1906, page 177). 



Similarly, the tables quoted from Hjort regarding the distribution of Anglers 

 brought to market may again be referred to. Over 18 per cent, of all the Anglers 

 landed in European markets are caught in the region to the south-west of the 

 British Islands, and indeed in relative proportion to other commercial fishes the 

 Angler is most numerous in that area and in the Bay of Biscay, comprising about 

 one per cent, of the total catch of fish. 



The capture of the post-larval forms of Lophius piscatorius by Schmidt over 

 deej) water in the Atlantic points to the view that spawning takes place in water 

 of considerable depths, or at least that spawning may occur on the continental 

 slope. On the other hand, there is the negative evidence that the Angler does not 

 spawn in the shallow water of the Atlantic. The sheet of spawn which was 

 obtained by Cunningham from the western portion of the English Channel had 



