i 9 4 FORKED HAKE. Class IV. 



in their hiftories of Minorca, under the name of 

 Molio y Mollera, and Molle. It is known on the 

 coaft of Cornwall by the name of the great forked 

 beard *, where it was firft difcovered by Mr. Jago. 

 ]We place it in this genus, as it has more the ap- 

 pearance of the cod fiih kind, the hake efpecially, 

 than of the Blenny, into which genus Linnaeus has 

 flung- it ; we therefore have given this fpecies the 

 name of the Forked Hake. 



. The length of one that was taken on the Flint- 

 Jhire mores was eleven inches and an half, its 

 greateft depth three inches -, but according to 

 Doctor Borlafe, fome grow to be above eighteen 

 inches long. 



The head floped down to the nofe in the fame 

 eafy manner with others of this genus : the mouth 

 large : beiides the teeth in the jaws was a triangular 

 congeries of fmall teeth in the roof of the mouth. 



At the end of the lower jaw was a fmall beard. 

 The firft dorfal fin was triangular; the firft ray 

 extended far beyond the reft, and was very (len- 

 der: the fecond fin began juft behind the firft, and 

 extended almoft to the tail : the ventral fins were 

 three inches long, and confided of only two rays, 

 joined at the bottom, and feparated or bifurcated 

 towards the end : the vent was in the middle of 

 the body : the anal fin extended from thence juft 



* Bar bus major Cornubienfis cirri s bifurcatis : the great 

 forked beard, Mr. Jago. Raii fyn, pi/c. 163./^. 7. 



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