THE COD FISHERIES NEAR THE LOFFODEN ISLANDS. GOl 



stay near the coast for some time, and that I in some way or other would 

 meet them once more before my departure. 



After several resultless investigations made in different places, I one 

 day (the 10th December) cast my line near a high rock called "Skarv- 

 bjerg," which rises perpendicularly from the sea, which is sheltered from 

 the wind, and where close to the shore there is a depth of 8 to 12 fathoms. 

 The line had scarcely touched the bottom when there was a vigorous 

 pull at it, and on each hook I brought up a struggling young codfish. 

 I now continued to haul them up as fast as I could go. Sometimes I 

 caught one, sometimes two, and in a very short time I had about twenty. 

 All of these were considerably larger than those I had formerly found 

 near the coast, all measuring from 150 to 200 millimeters. I had now 

 found a convenient place where in the future I could always procure 

 young codfish, and was well contented with this day's result. But as I 

 had set myself the aim not only to examine from a zoological point of 

 view the changes of shape and color which the young codfish undergo 

 during their development, but also to obtain a general idea of their 

 mode of life during the various stages, I could not rest satisfied with 

 this result. I must also find out whether they were likewise found in 

 other places under similar conditions; in other words, whether these 

 conditions applied to all young codfish of this size. 



The investigations made by me during the following days seemed to 

 confirm my belief that such was the case. In most places where I cast 

 my line near the coast, at a depth of 6 to 10 fathoms I caught several 

 young codfish of a similar size. Nowhere, however, I found them io 

 such large numbers as near the Skarvbjerg. 



On a particularly calm and fine day I therefore examined this locality 

 more closely, if possible to find the cause of these fish appearing in such 

 extraordinarily large numbers in this place. The water is remarkably 

 clear and transparent at this season of the year, and in calm weather 

 one can see the bottom at a very great depth, and I could consequently 

 examine the place very easily on a fine day. From the Skarvbjerg 

 the coast falls off almost perpendicularly toward the bottom, at a depth 

 of 6 to 8 fathoms. As in nearly all the sounds near the Loflfoden Islands, 

 the bottom consists of coarse sand. At this place, however, it was for a 

 considerable distance covered with algae, which gave it a spotted appear- 

 ance, light and dark places alternating. I soon noticed young codfish, 

 and my observations convinced me that they must live here in very large 

 numbers. As often as they crossed from one grove of algce to another, 

 their bodies were, even at this great depth, brought out in distinct out- 

 line against the light sandy bottom; and by watching one of these bright 

 spots for some time I could see one codfish after the other, and often 

 many at a time, cross in every direction. It was evident that here they 

 must find plenty of food, and by examining several young codfish which 

 I had caught here, I found this fully corroborated. Their stomachs 

 were invariably filled to their utmost capacity with different marine 



