Ichthyologiske notiser I. 83 
(Stavanger) 1°/10 1916 at 80 fths. Though the total length is 610 
mm. the specimen has not yet attained the coloration of the adult 
ones. The white pattern is the last remnant of the coloration 
characteristic of the pelagic stages as known from the description 
by SCHMIDT (1906 a). His largest pelagic young-fish, 78.5 mm., 
has seven dark vertical bars and intermittent with these dark 
semicircular spots along the basis of the dorsal fin. Stages taking 
an intermediate place between this pelagic and my specimen are 
practically unknown. COLLETT (1903) mentions a specimen, 498 
mm., from Trondhjemsfjord ‘/; 1886; its colour seems to have 
been identical with that here described. A somewhat younger 
individual, 297 mm., caught **/10 1905 by trawl from abt. 200 m. 
in the Herløfjord (Bergen) has been briefly described by GRIEG 
(1912). The coloured parts were reddish brown; the white 
pattern of greater extent than in my specimen. From the coast 
of Iceland only full-grown specimens, total length between 86 and 
133 cm., are known besides the pelagic young-fish of the year. 
(SÆMUNDSSON 1909). 
In the opinion of COLLETT (1903) the blue ling was an 
Arctic species, inhabiting the great depths off the coast of northern 
Norway, as it is caught in considerable number on long lines set on 
the deeper coastal banks 200—550 metres. (e. g. west of Andgen). 
The species is, however, common also in the fjords near Bergen; of 
2947 fishes captured by a fisherman in the Herlofjord on long 
lines at 300—400 metres the blue ling was represented by 633, 
the common ling by 291 specimens (NORDGAARD 1912 p. 57). 
The true home of the species seems to be the great depths of 
the North-Atlantic where SCHMIDT has got rich catches of the 
pelagic young-fish west of Scotland beyond the 1000 metre line 
and south and west of Iceland. The Norwegian stock probably 
has so recruit itself but as yet little is known hereof, some 
pelagic stages 10—35 mm. being only caught in the Hjørundfjord 
(DAMAS 1909 p. 65; Chart fig. 18). Nothing is known of when 
and where the pelagic young-fish seek the bottom. The few 
catches of half-grown individuals here mentioned might indicate 
that the habitat of young bottom-stages is the relative shallow 
waters near the coast. It is, however, not probable to presume that 
the young fish are able to evade the prawn-trawl or that the 
somewhat older ones do not take the bait. As it moreover appears 
