CLASS PISCES. 183 



Their body is moderately elongated, but little com- 

 pressed, covered with soft scales not very voluminous ; 

 their head is well proportioned, and without scales ; 

 all their fins are soft ; their jaws, and the front of 

 the vomer, are armed with pointed, irregular teeth, 

 middling, or small-sized, in several ranks, forming a 

 sort of currycomb, or rasp ; their gills are large, with 

 seven rays. Almost all have two or three fins on the 

 back, one or two behind the anus, and a distinct 

 caudal. Their stomach is in the form of a large and 

 strong sac ; their cceca are very numerous, and their 

 caudal tolerably long. They have a large air-bladder, 

 with strong parietes, and frequently dentated in the 

 sides. 



These fishes, for the most part, live in cold or tem- 

 perate seas, and constitute most important resources 

 in their fishery. Their white flesh, easily dividing 

 into flakes, is generally wholesome, light and agree- 

 able. 



The Gadi may be subdivided as follows : 



Morrhua, 



With three - dorsal fins, two anal ; a barbel at the end 

 of the lower jaw : they are the most numerous of this 

 division. 



Gadus morrhua, L., Bloch 64, (the cod). Two and 

 three feet in length, with the back spotted with yel- 

 lowish or brown, inhabits the whole northern sea, and 

 multiplies to such a degree in the northern latitudes, 

 that entire fleets repair thither every year, to catch, 



ii 2 



