294 ANACANTHINI. 



Merlangns virens, Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 105; Jenyns, Man. p. 447; Yarrell, 

 Brit. Fish. (Ed. 1) ii, p. 175, c. fig. (Ed. 2) ii, p. 256 (Ed. 3) i, p. 557 ; Parnell, 

 Wern. Mem. vii, p. 349, Fish. Firth of Forth, p. 189 ; Thompson, Nat. Hist. 

 Ireland, iv, p. 184 ; Reinh. in Dansk. Vid. Selsk. Afhandl. vii, p. 128. 



Merlangus carhonarius, Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 195 ; Jenyns, Man. p. 446 ; 

 Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (Ed. 1) ii, p. 169, c. fig. (Ed. 2) ii, p. 250 (Ed. 3) i, p. 554 ; 

 Parnell, Wern. Mem. vii, p. 345, and Fish. Firth of Forth, p. 185 ; Storer, Fish. 

 Massach. p. 129 ; De Kay, New York Fauna, Fish. p. 287, pi. xlv, f . 144 ; Johnston, 

 Berwick. Nat. Hist. Club, 1838, i, p. 173; Kroyer, Dan. Fiske, ii, p. 102, c. fig. ; 

 Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv, p. 183 ; Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 132 ; White, Catal. 

 p. 90 ; Mcintosh, Fish. N. Uist, Pro. Roy. Soc. Edin. v, 1862-66, p. 614; Schlegel, 

 Dieren Neder. p. 72, vii, f. 3 ; Moreau, Poiss. France, iii, p. 243. 



Gadus pollachius, Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 133. 



Pollachius carhonarius (Bonap.) Gill, Fish. N. E. Coast America, 1860, p. 48. 



Pollachius virens, Malm, p. 488. 



Coaljish and green pollack, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, iii, pp. 84, 87, pi. cxliii, 

 cxliv. 



B. vii, D. 12-14/19-22/20-22, P. 19, V. 6, A. 24-27/20-23, C. 36, Vert. 34. 



Length of head 4J to 4|, of caudal fin 6, height of body 4j to 4| in the 

 total length. Eye diameters 3| in the length of the head, 1 diameter from 

 the end of the snout, and 2/3 to 1 diameter apart. Lower jaw prominent. 

 The maxilla reaches to below the first third of the eye. A rudimentary barbel 

 beneath the chin. Teeth cardiform in the jaws, present on the vomer, absent 

 from the palatines and tongue. Fins the first dorsal triangular, its third ray 

 the longest and equals the extent of its base : a distinct interspace between the 

 first and second dorsal fins, the highest ray of which last equals half the length 

 of its base : an interspace between the second and third dorsal fins, the latter 

 not extending on to the caudal. Anal commences below the last rays of the 

 first dorsal and terminates below the end of the second dorsal : second anal 

 similar to the second dorsal. Ventral on the throat inserted anterior to the 

 base of the pectoral, which rather exceeds half the length of the head. Caudal 

 slightly forked or truncated. Vent situated on a vertical line beneath the last 

 rays of the first dorsal fin. Colours superiorly gray, becoming silvery on the 

 sides and beneath. Fins gray, the dorsal and caudal dark-edged. Usually a 

 black spot at the axil of the pectoral fins by which it is mostly concealed. As 

 they get older the dark colour deepens. Lateral-line white, which at once 

 distinguishes it from the haddock where it is black. 



Varieties. Thompson mentions receiving a specimen 7 inches long, in May, 

 1836, at Ballywalter, which seemed intermediate between the G. pollachius and 

 G. virens, both of which he obtained at the same time and place. The lateral- 

 line was parallel to the dorsal profile : jaws equal, but snout slightly projecting : 

 caudal fin more forked than in G. pollachius. D. 15/20/21, A. 25/20, P. 20, 

 V. 6, C. 36. Colour much the same as in G. virens: lateral-line whitish. 

 Couch remarks on one which had the upper jaw shortened, and the body 

 depressed out of the regular straight shape. The first dorsal fin was more 

 narrow, lofty, and sharper than normal, having its origin nearer to the head : 

 an interspace existed between it and the second dorsal, and a still more extensive 

 interspace between the second and the third. Three anal fins : the first an 

 irregiilar triangle, the second very narrow, and a considerable curved interspace 

 between it and the third. The vent Avas much behind its usual position. The 

 fish was thin and ill-fed. Pennant refers to examples from the German Ocean 

 none of which exceeded 7 inches in length, which were said to have possessed no 

 barbel, and the two jaws were of equal extent anteriorly. 



Names. Coal-fish, so termed from its occasional black colour, it being called 

 cole-fish by Ray, col signifying charcoal, not due to its producing isinglass or 

 ichtlujocolla, as believed by Belonius, from its English name of colfisch. Another 

 derivation of the term cole-fish has been found in the corruption of the French 

 name " colin." SillocJcs, Scotland, and blue-backs, Yorkshire : rauning (i-avenous) 



