[7] THE FINMARK CAPELAN-FISHERIES. 173 
tain zoological characteristics, especially the so-called “‘fat-fin” on the 
back—classed with the salmonoids. It is a peculiarity of the capelan 
that there is a very sharply marked external difference between the 
sexes, which has caused the adoption of separate designations for the’ 
male and female. In these northern latitudes the female is generally 
called “ herring-capelan” or “roe-capelan,” and the male “‘ faxe”-capelan. 
Both generally come near the coast at the same time, but sometimes 
the number of “herring-capelan” is larger, and at other times smaller 
than that of the “favre ”-capelan. On opening individuals caught in 
the beginning of the fishing-season, one will, without exception, find 
the sexual organs completely developed. The greater portion of the 
abdominal cavity of the “herring-capelan” is filled with rather coarse- 
grained reddish-yellow roe, which, on closer examination, appears to be 
inclosed in a single thin-skinned bag, lying to the left of the intestinal 
duct. The right roe-bag, on the other hand, is never fully developed, 
the capelan in this respect differing from other fish. In the “‘fazxe”- 
capelan both the ribbon-shaped milt-bags are found, but the right one 
is invariably smaller (hardly half the size of the left). By exercising 
a gentle pressure on the abdomen, both milt and roe are easily extracted, 
and can then be more closely examined. As soon as the roe is emitted 
it sinks to the ground, and by means of a peculiar slime, which coagu- 
lates in the water, it adheres to any object on the bottom of the sea 
with such a tenacity that it requires some force to tear it off. Some- 
times the roe gathers in large lumps or cakes, one grain of roe adhering 
to the other. The milt also sinks to the bottom and is absorbed by the 
roe, which thereby becomes impregnated. Soon after the roe has been 
emitted, the first preparatory process of development begins, as a por- 
tion of the yolk (the germ) becomes separated from the other portion 
(the food portion), and, differing in this from the roe of the cod, collects 
near the upper end of the egg. This is followed by the first “‘furrow- 
ing process,” whereupon the fetus begins to develop in the usual man- 
ner. I have not yet had an opportunity of ascertaining how long it 
takes the fetus to reach its full development, but it is probable that the 
time varies according to the temperature of the water. 
The young fry of the capelan was first observed near Vadsoeon the 17th 
of June after a fresh breeze from the east, with a strong landward current. 
These small fish had evidently been recently hatched, as none of those 
which were captured measured more than 8 to 10 millimeters in length; 
but it is certain that the hatching-places were at some distance east of 
the coast, as this year no roe was observed on the bottom, neither at 
Vadsoe nor at two other points on the Varanger-fiord which I had occasion 
to visit. The fry at this stage of their development are as transparent 
as clear water, and have a very thin body encased in a single clear skin, 
and a shapeless, broad head with two large eyes glittering like silver. 
They were observed in large numbers swimming about near the surface 
of the water, and were easily caught with a fine muslin net. At this 
