Ichthyologiske notiser I. 87 
Little is known of the habitat of the young sturgeons and 
of the older ones out of the spawning season. According to 
OTTERSTRØM (1917) a german trawler made the following remark- 
able catch in February 1891 in the southern part of the North 
Sea: 127 specimens in all, 15 between 105 and 120 cm., 35 
between 120—150 cm. and the rest still larger. These sturgeons 
probably were on their way to the spawning-grounds. | 
The above-mentioned divergent views held by COLLETT and 
myself on the occurrence of the sturgeons on our coast I think 
may be explained in the following way: The sturgeons of the 
North Sea for spawning customarily visit the great rivers of the 
North European plain. Occasionally some specimens take a 
northern course occurring on our west coast in February—March 
and later even on the coast of Northern Norway. Of the 
sturgeons of the Baltic, normally spawning in the Russian and 
Preussian rivers where the spring comes later, some individuals 
visit Denmark, being found in April—May, and later the coast 
of southeastern Norway in June—July°). 
Pristiurus melanostomus (Rai.). Fig. 5 on the plate repre- 
sents a very young specimen taken with prawn-trawl in Baasfjord, 
Stavanger, '%/5—16 from abt. 80 fathoms. Total length 170 mm. 
The form is in all essentials that of the adult and the characteristic 
double-rowed spine-armourment behind the second dorsal is 
present. The coloration is, however, entirely different. The 
saddle-iormed spots along the dorsal part of the body are 
blackish-brown, the spots on the anal fin and the ventral lobe of 
caudal are more blackish, likewise the dorsal contour of the 
caudal fin and the cranial contour of the dorsal fins. The 
coloration of the adult is indicated on the forepart of the body. 
The specimen probably is '/2—*/s year old as the species on the 
west coast of Norway seems to deposit the eggs during the 
winter and early spring [Dec.—April according to GRIEG (1896, 
1899)|. As far as I have seen, only eggs and adult specimens 
have previously been recorded of this species. 
1). COLLETT (1905) has six dated records from Nordland and Finmark; 
March 1, May 3, Aug. 1 and Octbr. 1 record. 
7). I need hardly add that occassionally also North Sea sturgeons 
may occur here. 
