— 77 — JOHS. SCHMIDT 



ference there may be in the distribution. The Chart applies to the months April to June 

 inclusive, but 1 have also included the positive stations (though not the negative) for 

 July, August and September, as it appears that a minority of Gadus luscus spawn so late 

 that tiie small pelagic fry may be found late in August. These few takes of the Gadus 

 luscus fry are shown on the Chart by the sign S in contrast to a simple red dot which 

 signifies the catches before July 1st. 



With regard to the depths over which the pelagic fry of this species occur, it will 

 be seen from the Chart and the tables, that they were nowhere found beyond the 200- 

 meter line, and indeed only 2 specimens in all were taken beyond the 100-meter line 

 and quite near this. The majority of the specimens were even taken near the 50-meter 

 line, from which we see that this is a shallow water form, which is also in agreement 

 with the fact that the adult Gadus luscus prefer stony ground overgrown with algae. 



To judge from the available data, there can be no doubt that Gadus luscus normally 

 passes through the whole of its pelagic life within the 100-meter line, and the majority 

 even perhaps within or near the 50-meter line, so that it belongs to the species of this 

 group which spawn in shallowest water. 



The pelagic fry of Gadus luscus, as the tables show, may occur close to the surface 

 (in hauls with 10 meters wire out), more especially the youngest; but for the rest the 

 condition is the same as usual, namely, that the older pelagic stages always occur some- 

 what deeper down than the younger (see e. g. St. 26, 1906). 



The young bottom stages of Gadus luscus occur in quite shallow water of a few 

 fathoms depth, as appears clearly from several samples sent me for determination from the 

 Plymouth Laboratory. 



§ 3. The geographical distribution 



1. Iceland 



We have never seen the slightest trace at Iceland of the pelagic young or the older 

 stages of Gadus luscus, in spite of our very extensive investigations in the three years 

 with all sorts of apparatus. It is mentioned in my Gadus monograph. Part I, p. 57, that 

 a collection of fishes containing some large Gadus luscus is in the Zoological Museum at 

 Copenhagen, with the inscription "Atlantic south of Iceland". At that time even I had 

 some doubts about this, as it seemed to me extremely improbable that this species should 

 occur at Iceland, and I wish to use this- occasion to put the matter straight. It appears 

 namely from information kindly sent me by Cand. Ad. Jensen, Zoological Museum, Copen- 

 hagen, that through some error "syd for Island" had been written on the label instead of 

 "syd for Irland", which at once clears up the matter. There is therefore not the least 

 reason to believe that this species occurs at Iceland, which indeed as mentioned would be 

 very improbable, so that it must be deleted from the list of the Icelandic fishes. 



2. The Faeroes 



As at Iceland we have never found the least trace of Gadus luscus here. This species 

 is nowhere found at the Faeroes. 



