— 71 — JOHS. SCHMIDT 



G. minutus has 14—17 (most frequently 15—16, whilst G. Esmarki has 17— 19 (most 

 frequently 18 and 19). 



For the rest it can scarcely fail to be noticed that there is a considerable variation 

 in the number of vertebrœ in specimens from the Channel, Scotland and the Skager Kak. 

 There is the greatest difference between the Channel and the Scottish specimens, whilst 

 those from the Skager Rak are intermediate. 



There is no doubt that the eggs of Gadtts minutus occur in our samples, but I have 

 not ventured to determine them, as the literature does not offer sufficient means for this 

 purpose, even if the eggs are hatched out. Although the development has been described 

 (cf. Mc Intosh and Masterman, I.e., p. 254, et seq.), I am not able to see how the eggs 

 and the newly hatched larvae are to be distinguished with certainty from those of Gadus 

 merlangus and Esmarki (nor indeed from those of Gadus luscus) and my own investiga- 

 tions have not been sufficient for this purpose. 



§ 2. General features of the occurrence 



The Chart V applies to the months of April, May, June and the first half of July. 

 Further, for the North Sea and Skager Kak, the stations in July both positive and nega- 

 tive are included, as Gadus minutus spawns so late in the year in these waters that the 

 fry are still found at that time. The July stations in the North Sea (and Skager Rak) 

 are therefore given with a special mark to distinguish them from the spring stations (April, 

 May) in the North Sea. 



As I have not ventured to distinguish the eggs of G. minutus, the Chart shows 

 nothing of their distribution. For the rest I may refer to what has been said in describing 

 the general features of the occurrence of Gadus Esmarki. 



The Chart V and the tables show that practically all the pelagic specimens of G. 

 minutus were found within the 200-meter line. In fact only a single specimen was 

 taken beyond this line, namely, at St. 72, June 8— 9th, 1905, west of the Hebrides, 

 where the depth was more than 1000 meters, but as the slope of the bottom is very 

 steep there and the distance to the 200-meter line only ca. 20 miles, this discovery 

 can only be considered as the exception which proves the rule. Otherwise, most of the 

 pelagic fry were taken, not only within the 200-meter, but within or in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the 100-meter line, and this applies also to the young stages of which I have 

 information, and there can be no doubt therefore that Gadus minutus normally passes 

 through the whole of its pelagic development within the 200 and indeed for the most part 

 within the 100-meter line or in the neighbourhood thereof. On the other hand, I have 

 not met with the early pelagic fry or spawning females in quite shallow water, not in less 

 than ca. 50 meters, and it seems from the available information as if the species mainly 

 spawns in depths from ca. 50— ca. 100 meters, though there naturally may be a certain 

 amount of variation in this respect. 



The young bottom stages occur (e. g. in the Channel) in fairly shallow water near the 

 coasts, though perhaps not right in to the tidal region to the same extent as, for example, 

 the young of the cod and coalfish. The greatest depth at which I have taken the bottom 

 stages of the year's young is ca. 60 meters (at the end of August 1906 in the Channel), 

 but there can scarcely be any doubt that it will be found in even greater depths. 



With regard to the depths under the surface in which the pelagic fry of Gadus mi- 

 nutus live, our tables show distinctly (see for example St. 27, 28 and 30, 1906, in the 



