101 



MOTELLA. 



THE u^finr'nn of tin's gonna by Cuvier is, the anterior dorsal fa 

 so low ar. to be scarcely perceptible, which, standing alone, is at least 

 as applicable to the very d iff; rent genus Ifa>ii.-eps as to this. But the 

 organ often represented as the ti.st dorsal lin, in this genus has no 

 nearer title to the name of a tin than what arises i'lom its situation, 

 at the anterior portion of the back, where its seat is in a chink, 

 from whence it projects when the fish is in the water, but, it lies 

 almost hidden when the fish is dead. It does not possess rays, as do 

 all the true fins of these fishes; but it is formed of membrane, from, 

 the edge of which rise-* a thickly placed low of threads, the foremost 

 of which is the stoutest and most prominent. When these fishes are 

 alive in their native elmieiit, and resting, as they familiarly do, on 

 the ground, with alt their true fins at rest, this organ is in continued 

 and r.ipid action; and its intimate structure shews that while it is 

 destitute of any power of propulsion, or of regulating motion, it is 

 well furnished with nerves which render it acutely sensible to impressions. 

 This dorsal membrane is in fact supplied with a special nerve, which 

 reaches it directly from the brain, and which also passes onward to 

 the true dorsal lin. A branch of this nerve also goes to the pectoral 

 and ventral tins, which are thus endued with particular powers of 

 sensation, in addition to those of action, the last-named faculty being 

 influenced into energy by branches of the intercostal nerves. The 

 facial nerve also divides into four branches, one oi which passes to 

 the back of the head and upper portion of the outside of the orbit; 

 a second branch passes through the lower portion of the orbit, and 

 also supplies the director muscles of the eye i's^lr, whilst the other 

 two are .distributed to what may be spoken o " as the face. These 

 observations have been obtained from examination of the Three-bearded 

 Ruckling, Motella vulfjaris or tricirrata, but it is probable that they are 

 equally applicable to the other species of this family; and they tend 

 to shew the exquisite provision which is made for the supply oi organic 

 sensibility to a family of small fishes, the lives oi which are for the 

 most part passed in places where feeling is more important even than 

 sight, as well for their safety as subsistence. The essential character 

 of the genus Motella is, that with the other portions oi structure of 

 the gadoid family, they possess barbs on the upper and lower jaws, 

 together with a ciliated membrane, which is seated in a chink between 

 the head aud dorsal tin. 



