COD. 61 



fin. Scales small; lateral line conspicuous, at first nearer the 

 back, lower .and stiaight behind. Dorsal fins three, the first 

 beginning a little behind the root of the pectorals, irregularl); 

 rounded; anal fins two; pectorals round; ventrais short, the 

 first rays extended and pointed; tail slightly round. Colour 

 on the back dark yellow, sometimes brown; sides mottled; 

 belly white; all the fins soft. The Cod of the north of England 

 has the snout much shorter and rounder than the fish of the 

 west coast. We have already mentioned the i^reat Aveiaht to 

 which it sometimes reaches, but from thirty to forty pounds is 

 a more general size. 



From Griffith's translation of Cuvier's "Animal Kinsjdom" we 

 learn that in the neighbourhood of the Isle of JNlan, there is 

 found a variety of the Common Cod, which is named Red 

 Cod, or liock Cod, the skin of which is a brightish vermilion 

 colour, and the fiesh of it is considered superior to that of 

 the other. It was the opinion of Dr. Turton that there was 

 also another species of British Cod, which he named th(> 

 Speckled Cod, f Morrhua punctata,] but Avhich he himselt 

 appears not to have met with when he published his translation 

 of Linngeus's "System." It has been shewn, however, in a 

 way not to be doubted, by Dr. Dyce, in the "Annals, etc. of 

 Natural History," 1860, that this supposed species was no other 

 than a mis-shaped example, such as is scarcely uncommon 

 among fish, of the Common Cod; and Dr. Dyce illustrates his 

 observations by some dissections which prove that the foundation 

 of the deformity was in the structure of the bones of the back, 

 as was the case also in the deformed example of the Codfish 

 which we have described. 



A Cod came under observation, which was in good condition 

 and of full growth, which possessed only one pectoral fin, Avhile 

 on the other side there existed merely a stump, which had 

 the appearance ot having been originally formed in that con- 

 dition. It is probable that it was in consequence of this 

 deficiency the ventral (ins had been called more particularly 

 into action, for the purpose of regulating the positions of the 

 body. 



The Lemma hranchialis, which is a large and formidable 

 parasite, is not unfrequently found firmly attached to the gills 

 of this fish. 



