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fishes. I myself have fished it in great quantities both on the south coast of Iceland and 

 in the Minch (between Scotland and the Hebrides). It is worthy of mention also that of 

 all the gadoids Gadus Esmarki is the one whose pelagic fry have been taken in greatest 

 numbers per haul. Thus, on the west coast of Iceland we once had a pelagic haul of 

 half an hour in which no less than 60H5 postlarval Gadus Esmarki were taken. 



§ 3. The geographical distribution 



1. Iceland 



When the "Thor" began investigations at Iceland very few specimens of Gadus Es- 

 marki were known from there. Our investigations have now shown that it occurs in such 

 enormous quantities, that numerically it perhaps exceeds every other gadoid. 



As I am unable to determine the eggs of Gadus Esmarki with certainty, I can say 

 nothing directly concerning the spawning or the distribution of the eggs. It is remark- 

 able also that I have not seen any specimens with running spawn, but only the spent 

 (both late in May and early in June) and the immature specimens. Yet the size of the 

 pelagic fry found at different times permits us to draw certain conclusions regarding the 

 spawning period. 



On the voyage of the "Thor" round Iceland in April 1904, the fry of Gadus Esmarki 

 were not found. They were not taken earlier than in May. Thus, on May 23rd 1905 at 

 St. 53 on the eastern part of the south coast we took 719 specimens, of which 713 were 

 quite small, less than 1 cm., and the remainder 1 — IV2 cm. From the size of these spec- 

 imens it may be concluded, that they had not been spawned earlier than in April or 

 March. On the south coast at the end of May both in 1903 and 1904, we took the 

 pelagic fry of similar size to those of May 1905. At the end of June 1904, the pelagic 

 fry were taken oft' the central part of the west coast, most of which were less than 1 cm., 

 and this would indicate that the spawning there is somewhat later than on the south 

 coast, a condition indeed that applies to other species. 



Concerning the distribution at Iceland, it may be said in the first place, that neither 

 the eggs of G. Esmarki nor the pelagic fry were found on the east or the north coast. 

 The species was distributed along the whole of the south coast, where it was taken in very 

 large numbers at several places, e. g. 719 and 1203 specimens per half hour's haul. It 

 was found there from May at least to the end of July, at which time the majority seem 

 to give up the pelagic mode of life. 



The eastern limit for the distribution of the pelagic fry on the south coast is the 

 line, usually well-marked for so many species, running out from the Horns, where there 

 is also a well-defined hydrographical boundary. 



The pelagic fry were also taken along the whole of the west coast as far as Isa Fjord 

 in the months of June and July, at several places in great numbers, e.g. 117, 141 and 

 even 6035 per half hour. On the other hand in spite of numerous observations in April. 

 May, June, July and August we have never taken the pelagic fry either at the east or 

 the north coast, and it is evident from this, that the Gadus Esmarki fry are not involved, 

 at least not on any great scale, in the already mentioned circulation movement round the 

 island, in which such large quantities of the fry of cod and haddock take part. This is 



