528 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



contents are printed either in the English, German, or French languages. 

 Among much that is both interesting and valuable may be found an article 

 by Dr. Einar Lonnberg, of Sweden, on " A short comparison between the 

 Capsian and the Baltic Seas." In the first, animal life is much richer than 

 in the second, and we are given a summary of the principal features of 

 the faunas of these seas. 



" Passing on to draw an incomplete sketch of the fauna of these seas, I 

 think, we can omit the Seals, three species iu the Baltic and one (of northern 

 origin) in the Caspian Sea, although they are destructive to the fish. The 

 fish-fauna has many characteristics in common. Firstly we see a whole 

 lot of freshwater fishes being common to both seas. Nearly all the Baltic 

 freshwater fishes are also found in the Caspian Sea, but the latter is 

 inhabited by a great number of very important foodfishes which are entirely 

 wanting in the Baltic. Among those I think the Belorybitza (Luciotratta), 

 the different species of Sturgeons and the Caspian Pikeperch (Stizostedium 

 caspium) must be ranked first, not forgetting the Caspian Herrings and 

 others. The Baltic has, in addition to its freshwater fishes, some marine 

 fishes which may have entered through the Sound and the Belts, but of 

 these the Plaice and Turbot are of commercial value only in the southern 

 parts, the Flounder up to the neighbourhood of Stockholm, but the Cod 

 still further north to the islands Ulfoarne near Hernosand, although of less 

 importance north of Aaland. The Baltic Herring yields the largest quantities 

 and the anadromous Salmon and katadromous Eel are the best paid fishes 

 in the market. Among the fishes which belong to the Baltic relict fauna, 

 only Cottus quadricomis is used for food, but of course being a small fish 

 it is of little value. The fishes of the Caspian Sea seem mostly to belong 

 to the freshwater fauna or to that of brackish water; true marine types 

 are scarce. The Belorybitza being closely related to the " White Salmon " 

 of the Arctic Sea, seems to point to a northern origin, as do the Caspian 

 Seal and some of the lower animals. The Sturgeons are also, at least partly, 

 inhabitants of the Black Sea. But the Mediterranean fauna, which has 

 taken possession of the Black Sea, does not seem to have been able to 

 enter the Caspian ^ea." Comparisons of the lower animals are of " great 

 interest, because they show (as is also done by many species of fish) that 

 hardy forms can endure to live and thrive well both in the Caspian 

 and the Baltic Sea, in spite of all differences between these seas. But it 

 must not be forgotten that the greatest part of the Caspian fauna is 

 endemic and characteristic, for that region and the lower fauna of the 

 Baltic is partly hardy marine forms which mostly have entered through the 

 sounds in the south-west, although some are relict forms, and partly fresh- 

 water species." 



