390 



Professor W. C. Mcintosh 



[Feb. 1, 



of transformations, the colours, however, differing in their arrange- 

 ment, being marked with gamboge-yellow in its larval, slightly 

 barred in its early post-larval stage, then the body becomes more or 

 less uniformly tinted in its post-larval phase, and the little fish is 

 furnished with a pair of enormously develojDed and bright yellow 

 ventral fins (Fig. 7) — so different from the short ones of the adult. 



Fig. 7. 



Long-finned Post-larval Ling, enlarged. 



It is next striped longitudinally when about three inches long 

 (Fig. 8), thus affording a great contrast to the tesselated condition of 

 the young cod. In this stage an olive -brown band passes from the tip 

 of the snout in a line with the middle of tLe eye, straight backward 

 to the base of the caudal fin-rays. The pale ventral surface 

 bounds it inferiorly, while a dorsal stripe with a beautiful opaline 

 lustre runs from the tip of the snout, over the upper part of 

 each eye to the tail, on ^^hich it is opaque white, thus giving the 



Fig. 8. 



Young Ling, about 3 inches long (in s])irit). 



fish a characteristic appearance. The dorsal line from the brain 

 backward is distinguished by a narrow edge of dull orange or pale 

 olive, which relieves the colours formerly mentioned, and the general 

 effect is varied by two black specks in the dorsals. "When it is 

 double the length (i. e. 6 or 7 inches) a complete change has taken 

 place in its coloration (Fig. 9). Instead of beiug striped the 

 fish is now boldly and irregularly blotched — both dorsally and 

 laterally, the region of the white stripe being indicated by the pale 

 and somewhat scalloped area dividing the dorsal from the lateral 

 blotches. Fourteen or fifteen bro',vnish blotches occur between the 

 pectorals and the base of the tail, and they arc separated by the 



