674 



Frits Johansen. 



rather become more marked. Some of the specimens taken had a 

 darker dorsum than others, and this colour was often restricted to 

 definite spots of the fish (head, fins etc.) in the form of shields, 

 probably caused by the colours of the surroundings (cf. specimens 

 of ca. 150 mm). On the other hand, the colours of the second 

 variety were surprisingly constant, the more so the better marked 

 they were (least in summer, most in autumn). 



All the large fish of the first variety were caught during or just 

 before the migration from Sælsøen through the large river to the 

 sea (Dovebugt); most were males, a few females (see table); in 

 addition to these and the same place and time (Aug. — Sept., 1906 

 and 1907 and July 1908) quite a few (all males) were taken of the 

 second variety; but their colour was much less well-marked than 

 that of the male of 416 mm taken in a hole in the ice of the lake 

 at the harbour on 22. — 9. — 06. From this and from what has been 

 stated earlier (under the discussion of the sexual conditions) I con- 

 clude, that the phenomena described by Smitt^ hold good for the 

 Salmo alpimis of North-East Greenland, namely, that the colour out- 

 side the spawning-time (spring and early summer) is that of the 

 first variety (thus pale); when migration to the sea begins in July, 

 the colouration gradually changes to that of the second varietj»^ 

 (well-marked colours in the male, less so in the female), but the 

 majority of the fish which live in the sea during the ca. 2 months 

 (ca. 10 July — ca. 10. Sept.) still retain the pale silvery and metallic 

 colour; when they again enter the freshwater in September they 

 have all assumed the strong colours of the spawning time, and in 

 the late months of autumn (November) the colouration of the fish 

 is at its highest point, gradually fading towards the beginning of 

 the year. It has to be remembered, however, as already stated, 

 that the migration to the sea cannot on the whole be undertaken 

 from all the lakes; where this does not occur, the fish can hardly 

 assume the pale, silvery dress at any time, but retain throughout 

 the year the blackish-green or orange-red dress, even though this 

 may naturally be strongest in colour in the autumn. 



Bones of Salmo alpimis have been found in the Eskimo ruins 

 (meat-stores and tent-rings) at the earlier fishing-place near the 

 outlet of the large river from Sælsøen to Hvalrosodden. 



Conclusion. 



Summing up the data given above on the biology of the various 

 species of fishes, and making use of earlier observations, we obtain 

 the following tables. 



1 1. с p. 836. 



