Meklangus. FISHES. MALACOPTERYGIOUS. 195 



Gen. XLI V. MERLANGUS. Three dorsal and two anal fins. 



91. M. vulgaris. Whiting. — Upper jaw longest; a black 

 spot at the base of the pectorals ; lateral line nearly straight, 

 white. 



Asellus mollis, Merr. Pin. 184. Sibb. Scot. 23. Will. Ich. 170 Ga- 

 dus Merlangus, Linn. Sjst. i. 438. Penn. Brit. iii. 190 Common. 



Length about a foot. Above pale brown ; belly and sides silvery ; the lat- 

 ter streaked with vellow. Teeth of the upper jaw long. 1st D. 15, 2d D. 18, 

 3d D. 20, P. 19, V. 6, 1st A. 34, 2d A. 20. The whiting is caught chiefly in 

 the spring and summer months, and esteemed the most delicate food of any of 

 the family to which it belongs. 



92. M. Pollachius. Pollack. — Lower jaw longest. Lateral 

 line incurvated, black. 



Asellus mollis nigricans, Merr. Pin. 184. — A. Huitingo Pollachius, Will. 



Ich. 167— Gadus Pol. Linn. Syst. i. 439. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 188.— 



E, Whiting Pollach, Leets ; S, Lythe. — Common on the rocky coasts. 



Length about 18 inches. Above dusky -green ; sides with yellowish streaks ; 



belly white. Bodv sloping from the first dorsal fin. 1st D. 12, 2d D. 19, 3d 



D. 16, P. 18, V. 6^ 1st V. 28, 2d A. 17- Tail nearly even at the end. Eyes 



large ; irides of a bronze colour. Peritoneum silvery, with a few black spots. 



— This fish is frolicksome, and easily caught with a white fly. 



93. M. Carbonarius. Coal-fish. — Lower jaw longest. La- 

 teral line straight, white. 



Asellus niger, Merr. Pin. 184. Sibb. Scot. 23. Will. Ich. 168 Gadus 



car. Linn. Syst. i. 438. — E, Scarborough Parr, Billets ; Rawlin Pol- 

 lack — S, Podley, Sillock, Cuddy, Glassock, Cooth, Piltock, Colmey, 

 Sethe, Sey, Grey Lord — Common on rocky coasts and in tideways. 

 Length from 2 to 3 feet. Above, including the tail, black ; belly, ventral, 

 and anal fins, white. Head small. 1st D. 14, 2d D. 20, 3d D. 22, P. 18, V. 



6, 1st A. 22, 2d A. 19. The tail is broad and forked The young of this fish 



swarm on many parts of the coast, and contribute, in a very great degree, to 

 the sustenance of the population of the Northern and Western Islands. The 

 full grown fish are likewise taken abundantly, especially in tideways, but are 

 reckoned greatly inferior to the cod and ling. 



94. M. v'irens. — Jaws equal ; lateral line straight. 



Gadus v. Linn. Syst. i. 438. Penn. Brit. Zool. app. vol. i Not uncom- 

 mon. 



This species, which was inserted in the British Fauna by Pennant, onjhe 

 authority of Sir John Cullum, Bart, is less than a foot. The back and fins 

 green ; the belly silvery ; the fins with numerous black dots. Teeth in the 

 upper jaw numerous, strong. 1st D. 15, 2d D. 24, 3d D. 19, P. 22, V. 6, 

 1st A. 27, 2d A. 22.— It is frequently taken in the Frith of Forth, during 

 summer. 



Gen. XLV. MERLUCIUS. Hake.— Two dorsal and one 

 anal fin. 



95. M. vulgaris. Common Hake. — The first dorsal fin tri- 

 angular ; tail even. 



Asellus fuscus, Merr. Pin. 185. -A. primus, Will. Ich. 174 Gadus Mer. 



Linn. Syst. i. 439. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 191.— On the southern coast 

 of England and Ireland ; rare in Scotland. 



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