VALUE OF NORWEGIAN LAKES FOE FISH CULTURE. 571 



the interior ; it is fouucl thus in many lakes on the boundary between 

 East Finmark and Finland. In the region of the country where the pike 

 is indigenous it is a well-esteemed fish, though, of course, not so highly 

 esteemed as the trout or the gwiniad. In the portions of the country, 

 on the contrary, where it has been introduced, and this applies to the 

 region to the west and north of the valley of the river Drammen, and to 

 this valley itself, in which last it was introduced not many years ago, 

 it is less prized as a means of food. It is, taken on the whole, an in- 

 dolent fish, which, however, when it sets out to seize a victim, can move 

 itself vei-y quickly. It is thus a dangerous enemy of the trout, and an- 

 nihilates this wherever they are found in the same lake, in the regions 

 which are favorable for its thriving, namely, the stiller, shallower, 

 and thus warmer portions of the same. Syrifjord, at Eingeriket, otiers 

 a good illustration in this connection. In its tributary, Stenstjord, and 

 the shallower portions of Tyrifjord itself, the pike rules, and it is a rare 

 thing to get a trout without much walking. In Holtsfjord branch, on the 

 contrary, it is much deejier and colder, and in its immediate vicinity 

 the trout is the presiding fish ; and here it is just as great a rarity to 

 capture a juke as it is to catch a trout in the other i)laces. 



With abundant supply of food the pike grows rapidly, and it may 

 reach a very considerable size, 12 to 18 kilograms and more. In all 

 lakes of lower elevation, for instance such as are liable to want supplies 

 in the great drought of summer, the juke may profitably be cultivated 

 along with the perch, which is its usual associate wherever it occurs, 

 and the pike-perch, which is ver}- nearly as voracious a fish of prey. It 

 spawns from February to midsummer, and is, like the j)receding species, 

 particularly fruitful ; its own offspring, therefore, constitute a large part 

 of its food. 



The Crawfish, like the pike-perch and the pike, frequents the less ele- 

 vated watercourses in the eastern portion of the country. Up to a few 

 years ago it was not found west of the valley of the Glommen, and in this 

 region not higher than a hundred metres above the sea, in the smaller 

 and warmer rivulets, brooks, and lakes. In the Glommen jiroper, it is 

 very' rare and does not extend up to Mjosen, i)robably because of the 

 greater coldness of the water than in the tributaries. About twenty 

 years ago it was transported to Stensfjord. It appears that it has not 

 distributed itself there very much. Although comparatively little dis. 

 tributed, and thus little known in this country, it is liked by many 

 where it is found. It might with ease be transported to many localities 

 on the western low-lying rivers and lakes, and its cultivation and fat- 

 tening are very easy. 



With these I think that the list of fresh- water inhabitants worthy of 

 cultivation for food ought to end. The fishes belonging to the last- 

 named principal division (soft-finned), the extensive family of carp-like 

 fishes, CijjmnidcB, of which many kinds are found in this country, and 

 among which the bream in particular is the principal one and the most 



