78 POUTASSOU. 



Poutassou, wliich therefore must have produced them on our 

 coast, although the parent fish in this instance had not been 

 discovered. These young ones measured about five inches in 

 length, and closely resembled the larger example, except perhaps 

 that the body was more slender, and in consequence the head 

 appeared proportionally a little larger. They continued to 

 abound for about three weeks, at the end of which, between 

 the 21st. and 23rd. of July, they all suddenly disappeared. 



The length of the example first referred to was fifteen inches; 

 depth two inches and a half, the greatest depth being at the 

 vent, which is anterior to a line drawn from the origin of 

 the first dorsal fin; from the mouth to the edge of the gill- 

 covers three inches. Under jaw a little the longest; eye large; 

 upper maxillary bone terminal, the snout receding from it 

 backward, contrary to the form of the Whiting, in which the 

 upper jaw is under a projection. The general shape of the 

 body more slender than in the Whiting, but that this did not 

 proceed from emaciation is shown by the roundness of the 

 back, which was plump. Prominent teeth in the jaws, and at 

 the roof of the mouth a pair of prominent, sharp, incurved 

 teeth. Lateral line straight, passing along near the back; 

 another line along the middle of the side, formed by the 

 meeting of the muscles; the body ending more slender at the 

 caudal fin. The first dorsal begins over the posterior third of 

 the pectoral; second dorsal like the first in shape and elevation, 

 both being triangular; between them a space about equal to 

 their individual breadths; nearly twice this breadth between 

 the second and third dorsal fins; the beginning of the third 

 dorsal slightly anterior to the second anal fin; caudal fin shaped 

 as in the Whiting, but less wide; the pectoral ends opposite 

 the middle of the first dorsal; ventrals small and slender, 

 rather high on the side, and much like those of the Pollack; 

 the longest ray seven eighths of an inch in length. From the 

 vent to the first, anal fin a quarter of an inch; first anal long, 

 widest in the middle; second anal longer than the third dorsal, 

 both ending close to the caudal fin. Colour on the back 

 brown, sides much lighter, belly white; eye yellow, lighter 

 yellow on the gill-covers. A dark spot on the upper border 

 of the origin of the dorsal fin; along the base of the anal 

 fins a broad white band, but not at the margin, and this 



