192 GADID.E. 



though this supposition rests upon no very clear or certain grounds. 

 However, the true (pvz}g of Aristotle, which, from report, he characterizes 

 as the only sea-fish which makes nests and brings forth in them,* ap- 

 pears to be much more safely identified with a little Mediterranean Goby 

 i^Gobius), in which Olivi has observed, according to M. de Mertens, 

 this peculiar habit. *f* And it is remarkable, in confirmation of this view, 

 though it has escaped notice, that Rondelet himself had long before, on 

 the authority of Pelicer, Bishop of Montpellier, attributed this habit 

 also both to Gobies and to Hippocampuses ; without inferring from the 

 fact, however, the identity of the former with Aristotle's (puK.lg.'l His 

 observation, moreover, in reference to the subject of this chapter, passing 

 over its equivocal phraseology^ and deficiency of detail, has never been 

 confirmed ; and, though the fish is taken in abundance at the proper 

 season in Madeira full of spawn, the fishermen are unaware of any such 

 peculiarity. 



Other fishes in which a similar economy has clearly been detected, 

 are the Hassars of Demerara (certain fresh-water species belonging to the 

 mailed Siluridse), and the celebrated Goramy of Java and the Mauritius, 

 Osphromenus Olfax, Comm.|| 



The Codfish tribe is, in its geographic range, almost confined to the 

 colder or more temperate regions of the globe ; and, in the absence of 

 much positive information relative to their existence in the corresponding 

 parallels of southern latitude, the focus of its species may be stated to 

 extend from about forty to sixty degrees of north latitude, and its prin- 

 cipal genera to be composed of fishes from the northern hemisphere. 

 Such are the common Cod, the Haddock, Whiting, Coalfish, Ling, and 

 Tusk, or Torsk. The genus Phi/cis, with the Hake {Merliicius vul- 

 garis, Cuv,), passes further south : and, as in this direction the former- 

 mentioned fishes disappear, the Phycides become more numerous ; taking 



(t»jv •xora.fji.'ta.t f^v^ctivav), on account of the latter having only " one spine" da/an aKctiSw), which cannot 

 possibly mean, as Rondelet and Salviani understood it, not attending to the exact force of the word 

 (/.iav, a continuous {avx^^^os) or an exappendiculate backbone, may be referred more safely to the 

 tribe of Siluridaj. Confer Salv. p. 74 and Rondel, pp. 401 and 414. The former labours to prove of 

 the Hake, that it may be said to have only one spine, because its ribs are connate to the vertebrae, 

 not separable by boUing, retuse at their tips, and veiy short ; so that they cannot properly be called 

 spines ! To such reasoning it can be only needful to reply that there were many other fishes well- 

 known to the ancients in the same condition ; whereas the character in question is surely rather to 

 be sought for in some external peculiarity belonging to the fins. Rondelet absurdly thinks that this 

 onfico; was the Sturgeon. Salviani subsequently (back of p. 232) thought it was the Sea-tench. 



* Arist. 0. xL 3. t See Cuv. et Val. xii. 7. X Vide Rondel, pp. 187, 19G. 



§ " In media alga niJificantem vidi." It may be doubted whether he ever actually saw the fisli 

 doing more than lurking amongst the seaweeds. 



II See Dr. Hancock's and General Ilardwicke's interesting impers in tlie Zoological .Jounuil, 

 vol. iv. pp. 245, 309. 



