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perhaps not its number. Rhombus maximus becomes sexually mature in our 

 seas with a length of c. 11 inches, in the Baltic Sea perhaps even smaller. 

 It is found with ripe roe and milt in the Cattegat as well as at Bornholm, 

 but in our smaller seas (the Belts and the Sound) and more southwards I 

 never saw its spawn floating in the sea in large quantities; I have there met with 

 many more young ones than ova. The latter evidently require a high salinity 

 in order to float, and are said to be inclined to sinking at a certain stage 

 in their development. (See Holt: J. M. B. Ass. Plym. (N. S.), vol. II, pp. 

 399 — 404). The spawning-season occurs in May — July, and ripe fishes are 

 not uncommon at that period, as they seem to be on England's shores. Not 

 till lately they have there learnt to know its eggs (see Holt: loc. cit.); I have 

 here in Denmark known them for many years. 



Rhombus maximus is caught far into the Baltic, and is even rather com- 

 mon in Stockholm's Sksergaard (Lilljeborg p. 317); it must therefore be sup- 

 posed to undertake long migrations; for at Stockholm they are certainly 

 unable to breed. 



Rhombus maximus does not become much longer than Rhombus lee-vis 

 (c. 31 inches), but as it grows older, it increases quite remarkably in weight 

 and thickness. It often reaches a weight of c. 25 lbs.; if it is lean it weighs 

 much less. 



The Brill (Rhombus Icevis). 



The tender fry of Rhombus Icevis from 1893 I have not found by far 

 in such great numbers as that of Rhombus maximus; some specimens however 

 were found in the months of July, August, and September, betveen 8 /i au d 

 3Y| inches long, in the Cattegat as well as in the Beits and at the isle of 

 Meeu and at Gjedser, but none at Bornholm, where Rhombus maximus is 

 common. They were found together with the fry of the latter, on clean 

 sand bottom and quite shallow water. 



Of the larger fry (from the previous year), on the other hand, there were, 

 remarkably enough, found proportionably more individuals than of Rhom- 

 bus maximus of the same age (see table XVI); they were c. 3 — 6 inches in 

 spring, and were found on rather shallow water near the shores. I do not 

 know, however, whether this is the ordinary dwelling-place for this annual 

 series; to know that I have too few details. 



The specimens of c. 6 — 10 3 /i inches may perhaps be looked upon 

 as the two years old ones. Rhombus Icevis is becoming ripe with 



