46 GADID.E. 



The caudal fin is small, entire, and rounded. The colour of the body is a light 

 greyish brown or ash, a little darker towards the back, and paler towards the 

 belly ; with lilac tints, especially along the base of the anal fiji. The iris is pale 

 whitish or pearly gi"ey. The lips are dusky. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins 

 are black, edged with clear white ; and the two foi-mer also paler at their base. 

 The pectoral fins are purplish brown ; the ventral white, or pale ash-colour. 



Two individuals only of this pretty species have occurred. The first, 

 from which the accompanying figure was taken, measured eight inches 

 and five eighths in length ; the second only seven and five eighths. Both 

 were deposited in the collection of the Zoological Society of London. 



The nearest described ally of the species is the forked Hake, P. fur- 

 catus Flem. (Yarr. Brit. Fish. ii. 201, and Penn. Brit. Zool. ed. 1™% iii. 

 193, t. 81, No. 82.) From this it is distinguished by its greater slender- 

 ness of body and depression of head, by the shape and colour of its vertical 

 fins, and by the short ventral fins. Agreeing in this last point with 

 P. Mediterraneus Lar. it differs in the others, and in the elevation of the 

 first dorsal fin compared with the second. 



