THE COD FISHERIES NEAR THE LOFFODEN ISLANDS. G09 



not the least doubt tbat most of tlie rop collected in the above-mentioned 

 puddles when taken out by the tide Avould develop, and all this in spite 

 of the circumstances being rather unfavorable in this case, especially as 

 the fish from which this roe had come had been dead for quite awhile. 



I have given a full account of these occasional observations made by 

 me during the fishing-season, because I thought they might be of gen- 

 eral interest. My chief object this winter was, however, to observe the 

 phases in the life of the growing young codfish during their stay in their 

 native place. As I had thus by this winter's observations only supple- 

 mented former investigations by extending them over a full year, and 

 had as far as was possible under the circumstances thrown light on the 

 first period in the natural history of the codfish, I will, before I close, 

 give a brief review of the results and the probable conclusions which 

 may be drawn from them regarding the ])lace of sojourn and mode of 

 life of the growing codfish. 



During the first days after the young codfish have been hatched, they 

 are the most helpless beings which can be imagined. The large um- 

 bilical bag keeps them always floating near the surface of the water, 

 where they are tossed about by waves and wind without being able to 

 offer any resistance. As soon as this bag has been absorbed, they begin 

 to lead a more independent life, although they are not yet strong enough 

 to resist the current, A natural instinct leads them deeper into the 

 water, where they are not so much exposed to its influences. Their food 

 during this period and later, as long as they lead a roaming (pelagian) 

 life, consists of different small pelagian animals, especially the small, 

 transparent crustaceans known as "herring-food," because they form 

 the principal food of the herring during the summer. Toward the end 

 of summer, when they have reached the length of about an inch, they 

 begin to come near the shore and lead a more stationary sort of life. 

 This change is effected gradually, and begins with their seeking the 

 company of the medusae, which about this time are by the current driven 

 toward the shore in enormous numbers, and thus actually show them the 

 way. Thus the fish become more accustomed to the shallow places near 

 the shore, and to the food found in these places, but as yet they are by 

 no means fully prepared to assume their stationary mode of life near the 

 shore. 



After having left the medusce they for some time roam about near the 

 coast, and are often found in large schools near the so-called " Strom- 

 blak," where the current has gathered near the surface of the sea a large 

 number of floating objects, e. g., live, dead, and half dead medusie, pieces 

 of algiB, &c., or they keep near the outer coast, where they are unmerci- 

 fully persecuted by the voracious pollack and other fish of prey, as well 

 .as by sea-gulls and other birds. Love of life, however, makes them 

 gradually leave these dangerous places and go to the more sheltered 

 sounds and inlets, where they finally adopt the stationary mode of life 

 near the coast, which the young pollack have adopted some time before 

 them, and gradually accustom themselves to the food which here is found 

 39 F 



