NORWEGIAN DEEP-SEA EXPEDITION OF 1878. 263 



differed iu no material respect from the so-called winter codtish {Slcrcid), 

 aud in size scarcely were inferior to the common Lofoden codfisli. The 

 contents of the stomach were examined carefully, both in these and 

 in other species of fish canght at the same time. It appeared as usual 

 that the codfish had not been very delicate in the choice of his food, 

 which was very mixed, and consisted partly of crabs and mollusks, and 

 partly of small fishes. In one of the stomachs we found a wolf- fish a 

 span long, and this was yet so fresh that it could be x)reserved as a speci- 

 men in spirits. The coal-fish seemed to have been far more delicate in 

 the choice of his food, which consisted exclusively of cuttle-fisb, and, 

 upon further examination, this proved to belong to the well-known 

 Arctic form, the Gonatus amoenus, of which there heretofore has been 

 found Old}" one specimen on our coasts. This last disco^'ery was of no 

 Little interest to us, partly because by it the appearance of this cuttle- 

 fish in large numbers on the coasts of Finmark could be established, 

 partly because the remarkable change in coal-fish fishing that recently 

 has been observed in these regions could be naturally explained by the 

 very appearance of this peculiar food. 



A westward course was now taken and the jagged mountains of South 

 Island soon disapj^eared from above the horizon, while we still had a 

 glimpse of the loftier, snow-covered plateaus of Seiland. An indistinct 

 land-line was yet seen for a short time in the southeast ; then all van- 

 ished, and we had nothing but the boundless sea on all sides around 

 us in the horizon. On the same day soundings and a series of observa- 

 tions of temperature at a depth of 95 fathoms were taken. At twelve 

 o'clock in the night the lead was thrown out again, indicating 030 fath- 

 oms, and on the evening of the following day we found 1,110 fathoms, 

 whence it appeared that the descent toward the deep here was tolerably 

 gradual. At the last-named place we stopped, and the trawl went to the 

 bottom, accompanied by our best Avishes. In the morning the appara- 

 tus was hauled in good condition on deck, and it brought up from the 

 deep a draught larger than any we ever had gotten before. In the net 

 were found, in addition to a great variety of low^er animals, no less than 

 five specimens of a rare Arctic fish (Lycodes), one of which measured 

 more than a foot in length and seemed to be full-grown. The excellent 

 qualities of the trawl were still further demonstrated by this successful 

 haul, and for the time being the dredge heretofore used fell wholly into 

 discredit with us. As we progressed westward the air steadily grew 

 colder. During a part of the time we had been surrounded by dense 

 fog, and on the following morning the weather was so disagreeable that 

 we had to put on a complete suit of winter clothing when we went on 

 deck. We sounded in the forenoon, finding 1,200 fathoms, and took with 

 great care a series of observations of the temperature, finding 32° Fahr. 

 at only 30 fathoms' depth. Here we sent the trawl down again ; but al- 

 though the greatest precautions were taken both in letting it down and 

 in the further maneuveiing of it, it soon appeared, upon the hauling in 



