NdliWAV lIADDnCK. 



151 



uniform size, the lowest 3, however, being broader and 

 of ;i flatter, triangular shape in the larger (older) s])e- 

 cimens. The 0])ercu!uni is 1ri;nigid;ir, with two tl;i.t, 

 spinous points behind jit the top corner. The sub- 

 opereulum is long and narrow, lies under the lower 

 posterior margin of the o]ieiTtduni, Jind at its juncture 

 with tlie interoperculum bears ;i spine, whicli in older 

 specimens has almost entirely vanished. At the be- 

 ginning of the lateral line are two spines, which in old 

 specimens, however, more or less completely disapjiear, 

 the u|)per belonging to the posttemporal bone, the lower 

 and posterior to the supraclavicular bone. The gill- 

 rakers are of average length, set fairly close together 

 and covered with fine teeth on the iiuier side. 



The hodv is covered with midi He-sized, firndy 

 fixed and imbricate scales, fringed at the hind margin 

 with filiform points, which render the body rough to 

 the touch. Between these scales are everywhere in- 

 serted the accessory scales mentioned above (see fig. 

 42, (i). Tliey are most numerous atid si)read over the 

 greatest part of the bod^- in the larger si)ecimens. The 

 head is also covered with scales, which towards the tip 

 of the snout grow very small and resemble the ac- 

 cessory scales of the body. The lateral line, which 

 pierces only every other, every third or every fourth 

 scale, has from 30 to 8b pores, and runs parallel to 

 the dorsal line and nuich nearer it than the ventral 

 line, exce])t on the tail, where it follows the mesial 

 line of the body. The vent is situated in the male 

 slighth' in front of, in the female exactly at the be- 

 jlinninu- of, the last third of the lenoth of the body 

 measured from the tip of the snout to the base of the 

 caudal tin. At its liind margin is a protuberance or 

 wart (the genital pajtilla), which is considerably longer 

 and more pointed in the male than in the female, and 

 probably serves as a copulatory organ. 



The dorsal fin liegins above and slightly in front 

 ot the ]»oiut of the gill-cover and occupies a part of 

 the dorsal line which measures from 52 to 46 % of 

 the length of the bod\-, being generally relatively longer 

 ill small specimens. The last of its strong, spinous 

 rays is usually distinctly longer than the last l)ut one, 

 and may therefoi-e with reason be regarded as corre- 

 sponding to the first ray in the second dorsal fin of 

 those fishes, where two dorsal fins are present. The 

 immber of the soft rays varies between 13 and 16; 

 and the first of these rays is in most cases undivided. 

 The solt-rayed part of the tin is higher than the spinous- 



I'ayed. The pectoral tins are large and I'ounded at the 

 point. They are inserted beneath the second spinous 

 ray of the dorsal tin. Their length, which relatively 

 diminishes with age, measures in the smaller form over 

 23 % and at most 27 % of the length of tlu' body, in 

 the lai-gcr form at most 22 % and at least I'O %. The 

 nund)er of rays in these fins is from 17 to 19, the 

 larger form generally possessing the higher nund)er. 

 The uppermost two or three, as well as the lowest 8, 

 ij or 10, are undivided; the raifldle ones (from 6 to 

 9: the greater number in the larger specimens) are 

 branched; the 9tli, Kith and 11th are the longest. The 

 ventral fins are inserted farther back than the pectoral. 

 Their length, which luidergoes the same changes due 

 to age as that of the pectoral fins, measures in the 

 smaller form more than 18 %, generally 19 or 20 %, 

 of the length of the body, in the larger form from 16 

 to IS %. The distance between their insertion and the 

 beginning of the anal fin is generally greater in the 

 female than in the male, being in the former about 

 30 96, in the latter about 26 %, of the length of tlie 

 body. The anal fin, which begins beneath the first 

 soft ray of the dorsal, is higher than the latter; but 

 the length of its base is only 12 or \S % of the length 

 of the bod}-. The caudal fin, the hind margin of which 

 is slightly concave, has 11 or 12 branched rays, and 

 at the side of these, at the top and bottom, a varying 

 number of undivided, supporting rays, 6 at the top 

 and 4 at the bottom being generally distinctly visible 

 externalh^ 



In most cases the colour of the head and the back 

 is orange, gradually becoming lighter on the sides and 

 shading into the white colour of the belly. On the 

 dorsal sides, above the lateral line, are se\eral dark, 

 oblique spots, Avhich vary, however, in number, shape 

 and position, and which are generally wanting in the 

 larger form. (])n the gill-cover, near the point, is an 

 indistinct, large, black spot, which sometimes has one 

 or two smaller spots at the lower margin. In the 

 larger form this coloration of the gill-cover also dis- 

 appears, as a rule. The fins arc carnation superiorly, 

 and paler towards the belly. The iris is bronze-coloured 

 at the top, yellowish with a silvery lustre inferiorly. 

 and has a fine brass-coloured ring round the pupil, 

 which is dark-blue. 



This fish is of fairly connnon occurrence in the 

 island-belt of Bohusliin, where it bears the names of 

 Sjokock (Sea-cook), Kdrliig (Hag), and Bergabborre 



