44 



Part III. — Twenty-sixth Annual Report 



* Including one unknown cod species. 



The total number of pelagic eggs was 65,810, and the total number of 

 pelagic fry derived from pelagic eggs was 628, or in the proportion of 1 

 young fish to every 105 eggs. The eggs over 1 mm. in diameter, com- 

 prising those of cod, haddock, whiting, and pollack, numbered 51,845, 

 and the young of the species named numbered 392, the ratio being 1 

 young fish to 133 eggs In another series of observations made in 1905 

 in the same localities, the total number of pelagic eggs collected was 

 54,751, and the number of young fishes derived from pelagic eggs was 

 1514, or in the ratio of 1 young fish to 36 eggs; but in this case young 

 herring, which are derived from demersal eggs, are included along with 

 young sprats — there were 31,848 sprat eggs collected and 348 young 

 sprats and herring, the ratio being 1 young clupeoid to 91 sprat eggs. If 

 the results of the two years' observations are combined, we have 120,561 

 pelagic eggs and 2142 young pelagic fish derived from pelagic eggs (but 

 inclusive of some young herring), the ratio being 1 young fish to 56 eggs. 



In these experiments the tow-netting was limited to the upper layers of 

 water, not deeper than 30 metres from the surface, owing to the deptli at 

 some of the stations not exceeding that ; but Dahl points out that the 

 relative distribution of the eggs and fry was absolutely the same, the 

 larvae, if anything, seeming to be more numerous than the eggs in the 

 upper layers.t This conclusion is partly borne out by the following 

 analysis I have made, showing the percentages of eggs and fry at the 

 different depths : — 



It shows that practically the same proportion in each case is above 20 

 metres. 



t "The Problem of Sea-Fish Hatching," pp. 18, 20. 



