— 213 — 



reliable people, that they have seen the eel- fry in these rivers of the size (according to the 

 description) a somewhat large montée usually has, but I have not succeeded in obtaining 

 or seeing the [montée from any place on the Baltic. I have also laid out seaweed {Fuats) 

 and still have it laid out at sheltered places in the archipelago but have not obtained the 

 montée." What is known for certain with regard to this matter, is therefore, that in 

 spite of many years search Dr. Trybom has not succeeded in detecting the ascent of 

 elvers of the first years group on the Baltic coasts of Sweden. 



Finland. In answ^er to my enquiry, the Fisheries Inspector in Finland, Mr. J. Alb. 

 Sandman has sent me the following information. 



(i) Montée (i. e. eel-fry of ca. 6—8 cm. in length) are not found ascending the 

 Finnish rivers and water-courses. 



(2) Larger eel-fry pass up at least some of our rivers at the end of summer. 



(3) Tiny (colouriess, unpigmented) montée have up to the present never been found 

 in the sea at Finland." 



The conditions on the coasts of Finland are thus obviously the same as on the 

 Baltic coasts of Sweden, that is, the elvers of the first years group are not found there ^ 



d. Occurrence of young eels in the sea 



A number by no means small of young eels have in the course of years been taken 

 in the sea. As they come from the sea in order to ascend into fresh water, it naturally 

 follows that they are to be found in the sea near the mouths of rivers etc., and in many 

 of the reports to hand it is also mentioned that they have been observed in shallow 

 water at the coasts. But they have also been taken further out to sea. Thus Robin ^ 

 mentions, that off the coast of France he has taken the elvers in a dredge at various 

 (up to 8) kilometers distance from land, and many other later reports of the same kind 

 are to hand. As this is a matter of great importance for the question which concerns 

 us here, I may quote from the principal reports. 



Scotland. Williamsons states that several transparent eel-fry have from time to time 



1 According to information received by G, G, JOH. Petersen from the fisheries inspector in Finland, the 

 smallest eels taken in Finland are ca. 35 — 36 cm. long (Report -Danish Biol. Stat. X, for 1900 — 1901). 



Compare also O. Nordq.uist, Some observations about the eel in Finland, Meddelanden af Societas pro 

 fauna et flora fennica, 29 Haftet, 1902 — 03, p. 48 et seq. 



2 Ch. Robin, Note sur quelques caractères et sur le coeur caudal des Anguilles, Congres et Leptocéphales. 

 (Journal de l'Anatomie et de la Physiologie, 16«= année, 1880, p-593)- 



3 H. Ch. Williamson, On the Reproduction of the Eel. (13th Annual Report of the Fishery Board for 

 Scotland for 1894, 1895, p, 215). 



