- 106 - 



From these observations we may conclude that this species spawns in the Atlantic 

 W. of the British Isles, in very large quantities especially N. W. and W. of Scotland, but 

 decreasing in numbers from north to south. That it spawns off the western and north- 

 western coasts of Ireland is also certain. On the other hand, it does not seem to repro- 

 duce, or if so only to a very small extent in the waters S. W. and S. of Ireland. Here it 

 is "replaced" by the nearly related Molva elongata and it seems as if the large, compar- 

 atively shallow bank, which projects out into the Atlantic W. of Ireland forms in some 

 way the southern boundary for this species which spawns in deeper water. 



4. North Sea (and Skager Rak) 



After what has been said above concerning the requirements as regards depths of this 

 species, it is obvious beforehand that we could expect to find the small fry only in quite 

 the deepest parts of the Skager Eak with the adjoining portions of the Norwegian Channel, 

 and a glance at the Chart shows also that not a single specimen was taken over the 

 whole of the North Sea, neither in the southern nor in the northern parts. It was only 

 in the Skager Rak and only once, on April 9th 1907, 43 miles N. W. by N. of Hirshals, 

 depth 550 meters, that a small specimen of the blue ling (less than 1 cm.) was taken by 

 my colleague Dr. A. C. Johansen from the "Thor". 



Taking this discovery into consideration and also that both by Dr. Johansen and my- 

 self innumerable hauls have been made in the Skager Rak with negative result, we come 

 to the conclusion that M. hyrkelange spawns only in quite the deepest parts of the Skager 

 Rak and there only in very small quantities. On the other hand, it might well be con- 

 sidered possible, from our observations round the Shetlands, that the pelagic fry of this 

 species can be carried from the Atlantic into the North Sea perhaps even into the Skager 

 Rak. The small specimen found by Dr. Johansen was to judge from the date not spawned 

 later than in March, perhaps in the beginning of that month or in February, which in so 

 far agrees well with our catches in the Atlantic. 



5. The Channel 

 The fry of this species has not been found by us; nor are the fry or older fish men- 

 tioned in the literature from here. To judge from the small depths we should not expect 

 that the blue ling would spawn in the Channel. 



6. Bay of Biscay 

 Most of our stations in the Bay lay at depths over which the fry of this species were 

 found elsewhere and they were investigated partly early in May as also in June and in 

 August — September. As we did not find a single specimen anywhere we may conclude 

 that M. hyrkelange does not reproduce in the Bay, which indeed we should not expect 

 considering the conditions in the waters S. W. of Ireland. So far as I know, this species 

 has never been found in the Bay of Biscay (cf. Molva elongata p. 108). 



