730 EEPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 



autumn, and thinks that the younger herring spawn before the older 

 ones. This whole question deserves to be further investigated both as 

 regards the herring fisheries in the Kattegat, and in the iforth Sea. 

 The information relative to the permanent occurrence in the eastern 

 part of the Skagerack of herring which in autumn spawn on the coast of 

 Bohuslan has not been fully verified. The two principal kinds of her- 

 ring referred to above; viz, the coast herring, which spawns in spring, 

 and the sea-herring, which spawns in autumn, are even at the present 

 time caught in considerable quantities on tne coast of Bohuslan. As 

 they are principally half-grown fish of medium size, they must come 

 mostly from some other place than the eastern Skagerack. Although 

 it has so far been impossible to obtain absolute certainty as to the proper 

 home of these herring, it is nevertheless highly probable that such 

 herring from the Kattegat, or perhaps from the North Sea, pay occa- 

 sional visits to the coast of Bohuslan. In that case we would perhaps be 

 justified in speaking of an identity of race between this half-grown her. 

 ring and the so-called "old" sea herring. The question of difference 

 of race and local origin of the herring visiting the coast of Bohuslan is, 

 however, so complicated and difficult, that it will hardly ever be satis- 

 factorily answered; even in the best view the time for such a solution is 

 very far distant. The external differences of shape between the different 

 races are very small, and, moreover, individuals of one and the same race 

 frequently differ from each other. People have gone too far, however, 

 when on account of such differences and connecting links between the 

 various races of herring, they have concluded that there is no difference 

 of race at all, but only a difference of individuals. By arguing in this 

 way, the existence of any race of animals might be denied, which would 

 mean nothing more nor less than cutting the knot instead of solving it. 

 If no such variations or connecting links could be proved, we would be 

 confronted by different species, and not by varieties of one and the 

 same species. To prove the existence of varieties presupposes always 

 that we should find some variations from the same, which in reality are 

 nothing but exceptions from the common rule. 



Eelative to the spawning season of the sea herring which, during the 

 winter of 1877-78, returned to the coast of Bohuslan, there has been a 

 difference of opinion between me and Mr. von Yhlen and Prof. T. A. 

 Smitt, who declared that these herring visited the coast of Bohuslan 

 for the purpose of spawning, and that they spawned there during the 

 first pa/rt of winter ; whilst I maintained that they did not visit the 

 coast for the sake of spawning, and, moreover, that they were partly 

 herring belonging to a variety which spawns in autumn, and partly 

 such as spawned towards the end of winter and beginning of spring; 

 the same occurs on the east coast of Scotland, where two different kinds 

 of herring are found, which spawn at different times. The correctness 

 of my view has been proved by the experience of later years, and by 

 other naturalists. Professor Smitt, in his report to the minister, of 



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