-64- 



I give below the result of observations on adult specimens. 



Number of vertebrse in adult Gadus Esmar . 



No. of vertebrae Iceland Scotland' Total 



17 + 35 3 .. 3 



17+36 5 .. 5 



18 + 34 2 .. 2 



18 + 35 22 2 24 



18 + 36 11 1 12 



19 + 33 1 1 



19 + 34 1 1 



19 + 35 3 2 5 



Summary 



No. of vertebrae Iceland Scotland • Total 



52 5 4 9 



53 27 23 50 



54 14 21 35 



55 2 2 



We see therefore that Gadus Esmarki has from 17 — 19 abdominal vertebrae and 

 iu all from 52 — 55, whereas Gadus minutus as appears from the numbers given later 

 has from 14 — 17 abdominal vertébrée and in all 47—51. As a rule, therefore, it is only 

 necessary to count the abdominal vertebrae in order to be certain of the determination, 

 but if the number is 17, which may occur in both species though more commonly in G. 

 Esmarki than in G. minutus, it is necessary to count all the vertebrae. By doing so the 

 determination of a specimen is in all cases certain. 



Although the eggs of Gadus Esmarki have undoubtedly often been taken by the 

 "Thor", I have not been able to determine them in our samples, as the literature gives no 

 sure means for this purpose, even on hatching (cf. what has been said under Gadus mer- 

 langus, p. 58) and my own investigations have not been sufficient. 



§ 2. General features of the occurrence 



The Chart V applies to the months of April, May Jiine as also the first half of July; 

 after this time the fry of Gadus Esmarki, at least at certain places within the regions 

 investigated, are for a great part no longer pelagic, so that the inclusion of all our nega- 

 tive hauls in later months would give an incorrect picture. For the North Sea and Skager 

 Rak however the Chart includes July when these waters were very thorougly investigated 

 (1905 — 06), and both positive and negative results are noted, being given a special sign 

 in contrast to the results in spring (see Chart). 



Only the stations where the pelagic postlarval fry were taken are represented, and I 

 have not ventured to give a picture of the distribution of the eggs. 



It has proved that of the two nearly-related species : G. Esmarki and G. minutus, only 



' The numbers for Scotland are taken from the interesting paper by H. Ch. Wilt.tamson, "On the 

 specific characters of Gadus hiscus, Gadus minutus and Gadus Esmarki". 24th Annual Report, Fishery 

 Board for Scotland, 1906. 



