255 — 



Stat. igi. 46''r)S' N., (V"i7' VV., depth: more than 3000 meters [September 11th, igo6]. 

 Large young-fish trawl, (>f) meters wire out (depth; more than 3000 meters) 1 hour 



( Stage I c : l specimen 

 14 Leptocephaliis brevirostris {Stage 11: 12 specimens 



I Stage III : i specimen 



Stat. 193, 47°13' N., 6°0l' W., depth: 950—210 meters [September 12th, 1906]. 

 Large young-fish trawl, 65 meters wire out (depth: 950—210 meters) 1 hour 



(Stage H: 2 specimens 

 4 Leptocephalus brevirostris Stage III : 1 specimen, 



I Stage IV a: l specimen. 



As the large material (more than 500 specimens) which has been collected in 1906 

 will be worked up in detail later, only a few main results may be pointed out here: 



1) The larvae of the eel {Leptocephahis brevirostris') occur regularly in the Atlantic 

 Ocean over deep water outside the coastal banks along the whole region from Spain to 

 North Scotland. To the West they have been observed as far as to ca. 15° Long. W. 

 (depth over 4000 m.), namely, off the Channel). In August — September the main quantities 

 were found nearer to the coastal banks (i. e. 200 m. curve) than jn May — June. 



2) In May — June only stage I was observed. 



3) In August— September most specimens were in more or less advanced stages of 

 metamorphosis, and the older of these were found as a rule nearer to the coastal banks 

 than the younger. 



4) In the night the eel larvae are found nearer to the surface than by day. 



5) Different circumstances show that the spawning of the eel in the Atlantic Ocean 

 must take place in the middle of winter. 



6) Of 3—4 species of deepwater eels the preleptocephalic (not fuUgrown) larval stages 

 have been found occurring pelagically over great depths. 



