The feeding habits of poor cod Trisopterus minutus capelanus (Risso) in the Adriatic Sea were studied with 24-h sampling cycles in October 1985 and April and July 1986. In data analysis, fish were grouped into two size classes: juveniles (immature yearling specimens) and adults. For both classes food composition was based on few target items which varied with season and fish size. Small poor cod fed essentially on Mysidacea (Erythrops spp.) and small Decapoda Natantia (Processa nouveli, Philocheras bispinosus) all the year round while larger specimens fed on larger organisms (Alpheus glaber, Liocarcinus spp. and teleosts). The analysis of stomach fullness in the 24 hours showed that T. m. capelanus is a continuous feeder, also if some periodicity can be detected, probably linked to different avaliability of the prey, due to their diel behaviour pattern. The exponential model of Elliott and Persson (1978) was used to calculate the daily ration in the field. Estimates ranged from 4.30 to 4.95% of wet body weight for juveniles and from 4.53 to 5.45% of wet body weight for adults. These values are higher than those reported for congeneric species in the North Atlantic, possibly due to the higher temperature of the Adriatic Sea.