68 DORSE. 



spirits: now, from the heat of the weather it is spoiled by 

 decomposition." 



Since the date of this letter 1 have been informed of an 

 example which was obtained in St. Austle Bay, on the south- 

 east coast of Cornwall ; and two specimens have been caught 

 by fishermen of Polperro, from which our figure and description, 

 with additional notes, have been taken. Added to these. Mr. 

 Thompson, of Weymouth, informs me that in the months of 

 October and November, 1855, four examples were caught at 

 one time, and ten at another, in trawl-vessels belonging to that 

 port. They were of a golden yellow colour, and of small 

 size, not exceeding three or four inches in length. Of this 

 size indeed colour may not afford a decided mark of distinction, 

 but the form of this fish is so different from that of the 

 Common Cod, that no mistake needs to be committed in con- 

 founding one with the other. 



The example selected for description was twenty inches in 

 length. Compared with the Cod tbe snout projects considerably 

 more, pointed, bent down, cavernous; flatter than the Cod 

 backward from the snout and between the eyes; under jaw 

 much shorter; the eye large, brilliant, even with the top of 

 the head. Behind the head on the back a deep chink, almost 

 like that on the nape of the Rockling, but without a ciliated 

 membrane, as in that fish. Body like that of a Cod ('or 

 Haddock) lateral line conspicuous bent down at half its length. 

 Most of the fins more expanded than in the Cod; the third 

 dorsal and second anal running near the tail, and liable to fold 

 down; tail round; the fin rays stouter in proportion than in 

 the Cod. The colour much varied, the ground-colour yellowish 

 or orange, with mottlings; back rich light brown; fins reddish 

 yellow, mottled; some green tints on the sides; belly pale white; 

 but all the colours disposed to fade. Barb at the lower jaw 

 prominent. Fin rays, of the first dorsal fourteen, second and 

 third dorsal each with seventeen rays, pectoral eighteen, ventral 

 six, first anal nineteen, second anal seventeen, caudal thirty-four. 

 In its stomach was a crab, (' Zantho fJorida.J Schonfelt is 

 quoted as saying that when kept in a pond the Dorse devoured 

 the smaller fishes. 



The other example was taken in the company of Haddocks 

 in March, as the former had been in December; its colour a 



