SsiO MALACOP. SUB-BRACH. COD FAMILY. 



may be found on most of our coasts as far north as 

 Orkney, where, according to Low, it is frequent, 

 but although reckoned good eating, it is never got 

 in any quantity, as it will not seize a bait, and the 

 rocky and weedy places it frequents prevent it being 

 caught by almost any other means. In the Firth of 

 Forth, however, it is frequently taken with a hook, 

 in the month of July, and brought to market, being 

 sold in company with young cod, whiting, and 

 podley. It is found on all the Irish coasts. 



(Sp. 162.) M. cimhria. Four-bearded Rockling. 

 This species of Rockling appears to have been first 

 ascertained to be British by Mr. Euing of Glasgow, 

 who observed it in 1827 near Rothsay, and has re- 

 peatedly obtained specimens since in the same lo- 

 cality, where it appears to be by no means rare. 

 It was afterwards found in the Firth of Forth by 

 Dr. Edward Clarke and Dr. Parnell. The speci- 

 men obtained by the latter was found in June 1837, 

 a little to the east of Inchkeith, on a haddock-line 

 baited with mussels, and was the only fish of the 

 kind the fishermen had ever seen. On dissection, 

 the stomach was found to be filled \vith shrimps 

 and small crabs. The csecal appendages were few 

 in number ; the roe large, the ova small and nu- 

 merous, and apparently in a fit state to be deposited. 

 ITie length of the fish varies from nine to fourteen 

 inches. The snout is furnished with three barbules, 

 one a little in front of each nostril, one at the ex- 

 tremity of the upper lip, and another on the chin. 

 Tliis is a sufficiently obvious character, and another 



