re 
. 
formation of alternating ridges and valleys. If we examine the accompanying chart 
of one of the most important skrei districts, from Lofoten to Tromso, we find a series 
of quite small banks, divided by deep channels. 
Fig. 49 shows six such banks, marked I—VI, where skrei fishing has, at certain 
times, at least, been carried on. On these grounds, the cod assemble in spawning time 
in dense shoals concentrated within a very small area, and it is thus natural that the 
general idea of certain spawning places should have existed from very ancient times. 
Old skrei grounds. 
Prof. Awunp Hzırann has collected information as to the old “med” or skrei grounds, 
obtaining the same from men having local knowledge of the spots in their immediate 
LD 
2 oS 
Vo RunDd 7 Fe Te 
an sy AF a 
HN S 
Fig. 50. Old skrei grounds outside Sondmor. From information collected by A. HELLAnD. 
district. From Romsdal he obtained bearings of 158 such grounds; from one man 6, 
from others 10, 12, 33, up to as many as 50. By the courtesy of Prof. HerLann I have 
been enabled to publish, in a former work, a chart indicating the position of some of 
these; several will be found marked on Fig. 50. 
If we compare the position of these fishing grounds with the depth curves, we find 
that they follow more or less closely the 50 fathom line, which may be said to roughly 
indicate the skrei grounds all along the northern range of coast from Stat to Finmarken. 
Fishing may, however, be carried on now in deeper, now in shallower water, from the 
shore to over 100 fathoms. 
Distribution of the floating eggs. 
During a cruise to the skrei banks in the northern Norwegian waters in 1901, I 
noticed that the floating eggs of the cod were confined to a distinctly limited area of 
