194 BIALACOP. SUB-BRACH. COD FAMILY. 



Pollack (Merlangus pollachius) ; tlie longest fibre 

 measures seven-eighths of an inch ; from the point 

 of the under jaw to the vent, four inches and a quar- 

 ter ; from the centre of the vent to the commence- 

 ment of the first anal fin, one quarter of an inch ; 

 first anal fin long, widest in the middle ; the second 

 anal longer than the third dorsal, both end close to 

 the caudal fin ; colour brown ; belly white ; a dark 

 spot at the upper margin of the pectoral fin ; along 

 the base of the anal fins a broad white band ; no 

 such band at their margin. The distinctions between 

 this fish and the Whiting are obvious, in the jaws, 

 fins, lateral line, colour, and vertebras. The brilliant 

 white along the base of the anal fins remained un- 

 altered, after the brilliancy of all besides had con- 

 siderably changed. The muscular substance of the 

 fish was more pulpy than that of the Whiting. It 

 was taken with an ordinary bait a few miles from 

 land." 



(Sp. 154.) M. Pollachius. The Pollack, or Lythe. 

 This fish difiers from the Merlangi, already noticed, 

 by having, among other characters, the under jaw 

 projecting beyond the upper, the lateral line curved, 

 and the caudal fin slightly concave. It attains 

 nearly the same dimensions as the Coalfish, but is 

 not so common as that species, although it is gene- 

 rally distributed around the coasts of Britain and 

 Ireland. It is partial to rocky places; and does 

 not congregate in shoals when in search of food, 

 although large quantities are often taken near to 

 each other. They are described by Pennant and 



