15 



of this species are nearly always caught on the bottom of the sea, 

 or close to it, and largely consist of decapods and echinoderms, 

 as well as different bottom fishes.'' In July 1878 Collett found 

 numbers of cod stomachs filled with hyas araneus and ophiopolis 

 aeuleata; he further also frequently found some small holothurides, 

 as well as annehda and gephyrea. Of fishes he found especially 

 icelus, centridermichtys, and the young of anarrhichas, sebastes, 

 lumpenus, chiroIopMis, centronotus, cydopterus. and other bottom 

 fishes. Previous investigations have also shown that the fishes that 

 particularly in great masses supply food for the cod are mallotus 

 villosus, chipca harengus, and ammodytfs tohianus. The latter three 

 sp>ecies are on a large scale used as bait for the cod. Dr. P. 

 Olsson (Acta nn iversitatis Lundensis, VIII, 1871), in his "lagt- 

 tagelser iifver skandinaviska fiskars fiida", mentions the following 

 fishes as having been taken from the stomachs of cods : Gadus 

 merlangus, g. mglefinus. g. mintdns, clupea, cothis scorpiiis. pJeu- 

 ronectes limanda. G. 0. Saes, by examining the stomach contents 

 of cod caught at Spitsbergen, found individuals of the arctic species 

 of lycodes. Finally, as a rare occurrence, argyropelecus olfersri and 

 argentina sp)hyrwna have been found in the stomach of gadus 

 callarias. The only specimen of maci'urvs coelorhyncus (Eisso) that 

 is known to have been observed at the coasts of Norway, was found 

 by Mr. Saes in the stomach of cod (atHerlovar, north of Bergen, 

 Feb. 1842). 



The following fishes I have taken from cod stomachs : liparis 

 sp., sebastes marinus, cMrolophus gaJerita, anarrhicas hipus, gohius 

 sp., gadus callarias, Mppoglossoides platessoides, g. ceglefinus, clupea 

 harengus. 



In order to give a picture of the variety of organisms that 

 contribute to the feeding of the cod. I here give descriptions of 

 the stomach contents for different places on the coast of Norway. 

 Feb. 20th, 1896. Ocean cod (skrei) caught on the banks off Kri- 

 stiansund N. A great number of the stomachs were empty. 

 Contents: Herrings, decapod Crustacea, cypridina norvegica, 

 G. 0. Sars. 

 March 6th, 1896. Ocean cod (skrei) caught at Svolvser, Lofoten, 

 at 40—50 fathoms. Most of the stomachs empty or con- 

 taining only remainders of the bait. The roe rather loose. 

 March 18th, 1896. I examined a large specimen caught at Hen- 

 ningsvEer, Lofoten. Measures; 



From end of tail to pectoral fin 855 mm. 



„ pectoral fin to snout 315 ,, 



Total length 1170 mm. 

 Stomach containing; Herrings, sipho glaher. 

 April 20th, 1896. Balstad, Lofoten. Out of a considerable number, 

 only one had filled roe-bags. Stomach contents; Hippo- 

 glossoidcs platessoides, ophiurides, &c. 

 April 30th, 1896. Balstad. Ophiocten sp.. sipho sp. 

 Feb. 10th, 1897. Sundero in Vesteraalen. A number of one 

 hundred fishes. The largest ones had a length of 120 cm. 

 In rather many of the stomachs were found solid objects, 

 only a few were quite empty, there being at any rate 

 found a whitish semi-liquid pulp. In the guts the dissolu- 

 tion was so far advanced, that no determination ot the 



contents was possible, but that the food had been of various 

 kinds appeared from the colour of the contents. The latter 

 would be greenish, reddish, yellow, greyish-white, &c. A 

 granulary, reddish pulp in the guts testified to the animal 

 having eaten chiefly echinoderms. In the gut were often 

 seen cestodes, and in the stomach mematodes. Of ecto- 

 parasites, caligus w-as common, a few times lernwa branchialis 

 being observed. The fish examined had been taken in a 

 net. Besides cods, also lings and green cods had been 

 taken. Several specimens of cod and ling had been con- 

 sumed by myxine, which had eaten all the flesh, and also 

 roe, liver, heart, etc. Only the bones and skin were left, 

 the swim-bladder and the stomach being also as a rule 

 left intact. What remained of the guts was empty, the 

 contents of the guts had probably also disappeared. What 

 might have been left by myxine had been done away with by 

 amphipods. Thus, under the skin of the sucked-out fishes 

 were found a great number of specimens of hoplonyx cicada, 

 Fabr. On one occasion we got up a cod that had only 

 been half eaten by myxine. On cutting it open, as much 

 as 7 specimens were found of this mischievous animal, 

 which the Lofoten fishermen call "worm". 

 Contents of the cod stomachs: 

 Ommatostrephes todarus, ciona intestinalis, munida 

 rugosa, hyas coarctatus. 

 Feb. 12th, 1897. Sundero. Number, 40. The majority empty. 

 Contents; Shells (pecten), remainders of decapod 

 Crustacea and ojjhiurides, sebastes marinus. 

 Feb. 17th, 1897. From the fishing sea off Svolvser. Stomachs 

 generally empty, in some specimens boreophausia inermis 

 was seen. 

 March 3th, 1897. From Hiila in Lofoten. Fishes taken on set- 

 lines at a deptli of about 50 fathoms. Many stomachs 

 empty, or only containing remainders of the bait. The 

 gut generally well filled with greenish, yellow, or grey 

 contents according to the description of the food. 

 Number examined; 100. 



Contents: Pandalus brevirostris, pandalus sp., cran- 

 gon almanni, hippolyte polaris, boreophausia inermis, parct- 

 themisto oblivia, opercula of gastropodes. Of boreophausia 

 inermis sl considerable number were found. 

 March 16th, 1897. Svolv^r. Number: 100 fishes. Among those 

 examined was found a specimen whose liver was green 

 throughout. The greater part of the cods still retained 

 their roe. Some stomachs empty. Stomach contents: Can- 

 dalus sp., crangon almanni, boreophausia inermis, tysanoessa 

 neglecta, idothea baltica, parathemisto oblivia, paroediceros 

 lynceus, hippomedon denticulatus, euchwta norvegica, ophi- 

 ura sarsii, modiola modiolus, opercula of buccinum, ciona 

 intestinalis, the low jaw of a fish. 



The occurrence of ascidians in cod stomachs I have 

 not previously seen observed, and it is probably the first 

 time that any copepod has been observed in the stomach' 

 of the cod. However, of cuchceta norvegica only one 

 specimen was taken, a female with adjoined spermatophores. 



