292 THE COD FAMILY. 



ray of the anterior dorsal, place the identity beyond question. 

 Similar characters are present in an example of 28 mm. captured 

 in the same region on October 6th, though the first ray of the 

 anterior dorsal is more slender. At 32 and 34 mm. in the same 

 Frith on the 23rd and 26th of October, all the characters are 

 better indicated, such as the proportional size of the head and 

 the eye, the somewhat thick and slightly probe-pointed first ray 

 of the anterior dorsal, which projects beyond the rest, the barbels 

 and the depth in front of the caudal fin. The steel-grey of the 

 dorsum and the silvery sides are well-marked, but the latter 

 (sides), with the exception of the belly, are minutely dotted with 

 black points so as to have a granular appearance. The ventrals 

 are often injured at the tip, and young parasitic crustaceans 

 (Caligus) cling to these and other parts, e.g. the cheeks. Lastly, 

 one of no less than 40 mm. comes like several of the latter, from 

 the surface, though from a different locality, viz., near Inchkeith. 

 The colours agree with the foregoing, and the granular black 

 pigment of the sides has now invaded the first half of the 

 posterior dorsal fin. A similar example, 39 mm. long, comes 

 from the stomach of a cod in August. It is thus apparent 

 that other questions than size determine the change of habit 

 and colour in this species. 



Of those which present the change just mentioned, two were 

 obtained amongst the rocks on the 26th July, and measured 

 respectively 35 and 42 mm. All trace of the silvery hue 

 has gone, and the entire body, as well as the second dorsal 

 fin, is minutely dotted with black chromatophores, those on the 

 abdomen both laterally and ventrally being distinctly larger. 

 The first ray of the anterior dorsal still shows a slight probe- 

 point, and the ventral fins are injured. 



Another of 44 mm., also procured amongst the rocks in 

 October, presents a silvery belly and more or less silvery sides 

 with the usual brownish hue elsewhere, the sides but not the 

 abdomen being very minutely dotted with black chromatophores. 

 Considerable variations are, therefore, exhibited by the five- 

 bearded rockling in this condition. 



In January the young five-bearded rocklings of a brownish 

 hue and of the following lengths are met with between tide- 



