GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE GADIDiE. 539 



depth of 12 feet, with sandy bottom. Spawn, yonng fry, and partly-de- 

 veloped fishes were found in water of a temperature of — 2° C. ; unfor- 

 tunately without stating genus and species. The depth of the water 

 between Iceland and Greenland is 7,5G0 feet ; that of the Juliushaab 

 fiord, in Eastern Greenland, at least 900 feet. 



In the Arctic Ocean the abundance of animal life contrasts strongly 

 with the desolation of the laud, the productions of the former often 

 being of collossal dimensions ; we only mention as an instance, the 

 Uynbelhdaria of 1.5 feet in size, which has lately been found. There 

 arc especially some families of fishes, small crnstaceaim, ascidianSj pter- 

 opods^ which are found in inexhaustible quantities, and serve as food of 

 gigantic water-mammals and fishes. 



The fi'shes of the Arctic Ocean are represented by extremely prolific 

 families, as the iSalmonidcc and Oadidoe. The Gadidtc, in particular, 

 are found there in 6 different genera, with 13 or 14 species, 

 namely, Gadus, with 8 or 9 species; Molva vulgaris; Motella tricir- 

 ratttj Brosmius vulgaris ; Couchia argentata, and Lota vulgaris. Their 

 maximum, of course, is only found at the limits of the Arctic and in 

 the North Atlantic Oceans. Two of the six above-named genera, iu- 

 cluding three species, are found near the southern coast of Spitzbergen, 

 Gadus morrhua, virens, and Molva vulgaris. On the coast of Siberia, to 

 the eastward of the mouth of the ludigirka, they disapx)ear entirely, for 

 only one genus is found there, according to Pallas, including one species. 

 Lota vulgaris, this being the fresh-water type. It occurs at the mouth 

 of a river, which falls into the Arctic Ocean, and at its extreme limits, 

 and also at considerable elevations. Near the mouth of the Obi River 

 1 genus with 2 species is found, Gadus luscus and navaga. In the 

 White Sea we find 1 genus with 3 species, Gadus luscus, navaga, and saida. 

 The amount of salt in the water here is 3.2 j)er cent. Toward the west 

 the number of genera and species increases rapidly with the higher 

 temperature of the water. From Finmark to the Loffoden Islands the 

 number of genera increases to 4, with 9 to 10 species : Gadus, with 6 

 or 7 species ; morrhua-callarias, ccglefinus, virens, nanus, saida, navaga ; 

 Molva vulgaris; Brosmius vulgaris, and Lota vulgaris, which lives in Lake 

 Belemis, in Eussian Lapland, and other lakes and rivers. From this the 

 conclusion may be drawn that the limits of the Gadidw for the eastern 

 portion of the Arctiti Ocean are the mouth of the ludigirka in the east, 

 Spitzbergen and New Siberia in the north. 



Iceland and the Faroe Islands are situated where the Arctic and 

 North Atlantic Oceans join. Iceland has a j)erfectly isolated situation, 

 for its distance from Norway is 120, from the Faroe Islands, 50, and 

 from East Greenland, 40 miles. According to Fred. Faber, 1829, the 

 (?«fZi<7a' are represented around Iceland by 1 genus with 11 species; but 

 according to recent determination, 4 genera with 11 species, viz: Gadus, 

 with G or 7 species, morrliua callarias, wglefinus, virens, merlangus, nanus, 

 Fahricii; Merlucius, with two species, communis, argentatus ; Molva 



