COMMON COD. 



229 



Sonic yccirs since, I obtained from a fisherman at the 

 mouth of the Thames a fresh-caught example of a species of 

 morrhua, with the middle dorsal and the first anal fins short ; 

 the body as deep for its length as the luscus ; the length of 

 the head compared to the whole length of the fish as one to 

 three. Among the fishermen it was by some considered to 

 be an accidental deformity, with injury of the spine, and 

 their name for it was Lord-fish ; others said it was a fish 

 which they met with occasionally, and believed it distinct 

 from any other. A coloured drawing was made at the time, 

 from which the representation here given was taken, but the 



fish was not preserved. The fin-rays were as stated ; and it 

 will be observed, on comparing the numbers, that they do 

 not differ very widely from those of the Common Cod. 



D. 14. 19. 18. : P. 14 : V. 6 : A. 17. 11. : C. 24. 



The figure above is taken from the drawing referred to, 

 but carefully reduced : upper part of the head, back, and fins, 

 mottled with two shades of brown ; the sides of the body 

 lighter ; the belly white ; the lateral line white, arching high 

 over the pectoral fins : the irides reddish orange. 



