44 
viste i alt vaesentligt fuldkommen samme Bygning som hos 
fuldvoxne Individer, uden at det mindste Spor af nogen 
forudgaaende Larvetilstand var at bemaerke bos samme. 
Forekomst og Levevis. Ifplge sin hele Organisation 
svnes den her omhandlede Form at maatte antages at fere 
et Slags halvt pelagiskt Liv ; men andre Ord, jeg har Grand 
til at antage, at den ikke som de i det foregaaende omtalte 
Former er strengt bunden til selve Havbunden, men stroifer 
frit om i Yandet. Dog tyder 0inenes rudimenfaere Be- 
skaffenhed med Bestemthed hen paa, at dens Ophold vsesent- 
lig kun kan vsere indskrsenket til de dybere Yandlag; noget 
der ogsaa vinder fald Bekraeftelse ved de under vor Ex- 
pedition gjorte Erfaringer. Alle de af os erholdte Exem- 
plarer er nemlig optagne ved Hjrnlp af Bundskraben eller 
Trawlnettet fra de stprste Dybder i den kolde Area, fra 
452 til 1862 Favne. Paa grundere Yand har vi aldrig 
faaet den op, heller ikke nogensinde i Overfladenettet, 
skjondt dette i stor Udstrtckning har vaeret benyttet under 
Expeditionen. 
Endelig fortjener det at beimerkes, at K. Collett har 
fondet Levninger af nservaerende Krebs i Ventrikelen hos 
et Par Dyhvandsfiske, hvis Organisation er en saadan, at 
de med Sikkerhed maa antages ikke at kunne gjpre meget 
lange Udflugter fra Havbunden, nemlig Raya hyperborea 
Collett, og Lycodes frigidus Collett, begge optagne fra det 
store Dyb i den kolde Area. 
Som en Maarkeliglied fortjener det dog her at anferes, 
at det af Buchholz undersogte Exemplar blev, som det 
heder, taget lige i Yandskorpen. Hvis dette virkelig for- 
holder sig saa, maa det dog antages at have vseret et ganske 
anomalt Trsef. Exemplaret maa vel af en eller anden til- 
fseldig Aarsag, ved Undervandsstrpm eller paa anden Maude? 
v£ere bleven bragt op fra de dybere Yandlag, hvor Arten 
aabenbart maa antages at have sit rette Hjem. 
Skjondt denne Krebs ifolge sine kraftigt udviklede 
Svommeredskaber og ringe specifiske Ysegt maa antages at 
vsere et sserdeles livligt Dyr, var der dog altid kun yderst 
svage Livsytringer at se hos de af os indfangede Individer, 
og det uagtet disse som oftest erholdtes i fuldkommen ube- 
skadiget Tilstand og hurtigst muhgt efter Indfangningen 
blev isolerede i Kar med friskt Sovand. Det synes klart, 
at Grunden hertil maa vsere den, at Dvret ved saaledes 
pludseligt at bringes op til Dagens Lys fra de enorme Dyb, 
hvori det har sit Tilliold, lienssettes under saa abnorme 
Forhold, at alle Livsfunctioner hervod bliver ligesom lam- 
slaaede. Noget lignende observeres forovrigt ogsaa i mere 
eller mindre Grad med de fleste pvrige paa store Dyb 
levende Sodyr. 
Udbredning. Det af Buchholz beskrevne Individ er- 
holdtes, som an fort, i Havet 0st for G r on la nd og nser den 
74de Bredegrad. Under vor Expedition har vi taget den 
nservserende Form paa ikke mindre end 14 forskjellige Sta- 
tioner, samtlige tilhorende den kolde Area. Endelig er af 
R. Collett fondet Levninger af et Exemplar i Yentrikelen 
af en Lycodes frigidus fra Stat. 353, hvorfra ' vi ikke har 
noteret denne Krebs. 
length, exhibited in all essential characters precisely the 
same structure as full-grown individuals, without its being 
possible to detect the slightest trace of a previous larval 
stage. 
Occurrence and Habits. — Judging from its whole 
organization, the form here treated of would appear to lead 
a kind of semi-pelagic existence ; in other words, I have reason 
to suppose, that, unlike the forms previously recorded, this 
animal is not strictly confined to the sea-bottom, but can move 
about freely through the water. Meanwhile, the rudimentary 
character of the eyes indicate with absolute certainty its 
habitat as chiefly lying in the deeper strata, a fact to which 
the experience derived on the Norwegian Expedition gives 
full confirmation. All of the specimens collected were 
brought up in the dredge or trawl from the greatest depths 
in the cold area — 452 to 1862 fathoms. In shallower 
water we never took it, nor in the surface-net, which not- 
withstanding was extensively used on the Expedition. 
Finally, I will not fail to remark that Mr. R. Collett 
has found the remains of this form in the ventricle of one 
or two deep-water fishes whose organization is such as 
must infallibly prevent them from ascending to any great 
distance from the sea-bed, viz. — Raja hyperborea Collett 
and Lycodes frigidus Collett, both brought up from the great 
depths of the cold area. 
As a remarkable coincidence, it is worthy of note, 
that the specimen examined by Buchholz is said to have 
been taken at the surface of the water. Assuming this to 
have actually been the case, we cannot but regard it as 
anomolous. The animal bad probably from some incidental 
circumstance, by an undercurrent or in some other manner, 
been carried up from the deeper strata, where the species 
must obviously be assumed to have its true habitat. 
Though the form described above, judging from its 
powerfully developed natatory organs and trifling specific 
weight, must be deemed an exceedingly vivacious animal, 
the specimens we succeeded in collecting gave without ex- 
ception but very faint manifestations of life, notwithstanding 
they were captured as a rule in a perfectly unmutilated 
state and as soon as possible isolated in a vessel containing 
fresh sea-water. The reason of this must clearly be, that 
the animal, on being suddenly brought up to the light of 
day from the enormous depths it inhabits, is placed in such 
abnormal conditions as cannot fail to paralyze all its vital 
functions. For the rest, similar phenomena may be ob- 
served, to a greater or less extent, in most other marine 
animals whose habitat is the great depths of the ocean. 
Distribution. — The specimen described by Buchholz 
was taken, as previously stated, in the open sea, east of 
Greenland, and near the 74th parallel of latitude. On 
the Norwegian Expedition, the form occurred at not less 
than 14 different Stations, all in the cold area. Finally, 
Mr. R. Collett found the remains of a specimen in the 
ventricle of Lycodes jrigidus, at Stat. 353, from which 
we had not recorded this Crustacean. 
