THE COD FISHERIES NEAR THE LOFFODEN ISLANDS. 571 



iug but the arrival of a uew school briugs life into these masses of fish 

 and drives them forward, and a great many are caught. 



This "keeping quiet" of the codfish, regarding which the fishermen 

 have very strange notions,* seems more particularly to take place dur- 

 ing continuous cold weather with easterly or northerly wind, and is 

 probably occasioned by the lower temperature which through the cold 

 and the current flowing from the north to the south is communicated to 

 the upper portion of the water which the fish must pass in order to reach 

 the elevated bottom. It is a well-known fact that the salmon, before 

 entering upon their regular journey up the rivers, stay for some time 

 near the mouth, seemingly to get accustomed to the cold fresh water. 

 It is very probable that the codfish does something similar. As the 

 codfish come from a great depth where the temperature seems to be 

 very even all the year round, they are probably very tender as regards 

 a change of temperature. And, going towards the elevated bottom 

 they must frequently pass portions of the sea which through the influ- 

 ence of the Polar Stream are quite cold. It seems natural to me that 

 the fish do not enter these cold places as quickly as when the tempera- 

 ture has again become higher through the influence of the Gulf Stream. 

 It is said, however, that there is a period when independently of the 

 changes of temperature the codfish kee^js very still, viz, immediately 

 before spawning. It is likewise probable that the codfish have been 

 outside the great elevation (the " Egbakke") for some time before this 

 coming-in commences, or that they follow it for some distance until they 

 find a suitable place for getting nearer to the coast. It is quite probable 

 (although nothing definite is known regarding it) that they select places 

 where the "Egbakke" is low or where it is intersected by clayey ravines. 

 It is certain, however, that during their coming in they are guided by 

 the formation of the bottom, and that coming from the deep they follow 

 as far as possible the diiep places, i. e., the ravines. As a general rule 

 they do not follow the middle of these ravines, but the edges, being 

 guided by their many curves and turns. 



Although the codfish is a genuine bottom fish, it does not keep near 

 the bottom all the time, but keeps considerably above it, at any rate in 

 certain localities, as the East Lofifoden. The fishermen know this 

 very well, and, where the current is not too strong, they like to use 

 wooden or glass floats so as to keep the nets or lines some distance from 

 the bottom. This is especially done with the lines, both ends being 

 fastened to a float so that only the n>iddle portion reaches near the bot- 

 tom, while the remaining portion gradually approaches the surface. As 

 the hooks baited with herrings are very close together, the fish will, at 

 ■whatever distance from the bottom it may be swimming, meet some of 

 them. I have thus noticed near Svolvajr, where this method of fishing 



* I have tbus found the idea very generally prevailing among the tishermeu, that 

 the cod/ish seek certain places on the bottom where there are said to be springs of 

 fresh water, which they drink in order to bring the roe to maturity. 



