536 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
not very distinct prolongations in front below the spinal 
column. To the left side of this mass we find the 
urinary bladder, which is large and saccate, and is dis- 
charged behind the genital aperture. 
The Burbot is the only fish of this family that 
lives in fresh water; but in its entire structure, as we 
have seen, it comes extremely near the Ling and other 
true marine fishes. It is spread over a fairly wide 
portion of the globe, namely almost the whole of Europe, 
the north of Asia, and North America. From its range 
we see that it is really a northern fish; and it seems to 
attain the highest point of its development in the lakes 
and rivers that discharge themselves into the Arctic 
Ocean. In America, however, it goes as far south as 
the 37th degree of latitude, but in Europe scarcely be- 
yond the 45th. Even in the large lakes of Lombardy 
it is common, according to Giglioli. In Russia, ac- 
cording to Grimm, the Burbot is found everywhere in 
fresh water, with the exception of the rivers that flow 
into the south of the Caspian Sea. In central Europe 
it grows less and less plentiful further west, until in 
Great Britain it may be described as rare, while in Ire- 
land it is never found. In Scandinavia too, it is prin- 
cipally an eastern and northern fish, which in Norway, 
according to Collett, is entirely wanting in the diocese 
of Bergen and along the greater part of the west coast. 
Throughout the fresh water of Finmark, on the other 
hand, it is common. This is also the case in Swedish 
Lapland, at Karesuando, Juckasjarvi, and Quickjock for 
example®. In Jemtland the Burbot is one of the fishes 
that go highest up the fells 6 . In central Sweden it seems 
to be more plentiful than further south, and it is one 
of the species brought to Stockholm in the greatest 
quantity during the greater part of the year. It is said 
occasionally to descend from Lake Wener, where it is 
common, into the River Gotha, when the locks are open- 
ed 0 . According to the reports sent in to the Fisheries 
Commission of 1881 d the Burbot occurs throughout the 
whole of Sweden 6 , and in the District of Orebro attains 
a length of 35 in. (89 cm.) and a weight of 26 1 / i lbs. 
( 1 1 '9 kgm.). In the rivers and lakes of the Scanian 
plain and the Danish islands it is rare. Feddersen 7 
gives several instances of the occurrence of the Burbot 
in Jutland, and in the Elbe it is common 5 '; but in Laa- 
land and Ealster, according to this author, as well as 
on Bornholm, it is wanting. Krgyer, however, once 
saw a very large specimen in Bornholm, and the species 
occurs in several of the lakes and streams of Gothland*, 
as well as in the brackish water of the Baltic. It attains 
its maximum size in the regions where it is most plenti- 
ful, exceeding the average size at the northern limit of 
its range, but in Scania apparently smaller in every case. 
Its favourite haunts are the lakes with clear water 
and a stony bottom, but it is also found often on a 
clayey bottom and in the larger, more sluggish streams 
and rivers. Though it does not live in the sea, it is 
met with at several spots in the Baltic island-belts where 
the water is only slightly salt, and therefore abounds 
chiefly in fresh-water fishes. 
During the greater part of the year the Burbot 
frequents deep spots. It is only towards the beginning 
of winter and during the spawning-season that it joins 
in a general migration to shallower water. It is rather 
sluggish, never collects in shoals, and never appears at 
the surface, but always hugs the bottom, hiding itself 
among stones, sunken logs, the roots of trees etc., where 
it lies still, preferring to await its prey than to seek it. 
Its capacity of speedy motion is shown, however, by its 
power of seizing other fishes. According to a statement 
made by Mr. Gjobel, a Burbot in Lake Wener is known 
to have swum 13 miles (2 1 1 / 3 km.) in a night. It was 
recognised by a fish-hook in its mouth. Few other 
fishes have so supple a body and, in consequence thereof, 
such Eel-like or serpentine movements, and not many 
are so tenacious of life. The Burbot lives long after 
it is taken out of the water, without the surface of the 
body drying, this being apparently due to the copious 
secretion of mucus. The fishermen tear off the isthmus 
to kill the fish, an operation which is known as ‘slaugh- 
tering the Burbot.’ This is done on account of their 
strange belief that the fish would otherwise eat its own 
liver, which is considered the best part of it. 
“ Cf. too Widegren, Handl. o. Upplysn. ror. Sveriges Fiskerier ,- I, p. 41 (Aftr. ur Handl. ror. Landtbr., 24:de delen). 
b , See Olsson, Ofvers. Vet.-Akad. Forh. 1876, No. 3, p. 138 and 1882, No. 10, p. 51. 
c Malm, 1. e. 
d Underdanigt Betankande med Forslag til] ny Fiskeristadga in. m., Stockh. 1883, Bil. Ill, p. 156. 
e In these reports it does not appear as an inhabitant of Gothland or of Blekinge; but its occurrence in the former locality is re- 
corded by Lindstrom (1. c.) and in the latter by Gosselman ( Zool. , Bot. Iakttag. inom Blek ., disp. Lund 1864. p. 5). 
f Naturh. Tidskr. Kbhvn, ser. 3, vol. XII, p. 75. 
,J KR0YER, 1. c. 
h LindstrOm, 1. c. 
