180 



SCANDIXAVIAN FISHES. 



nets). Foi- this purpose (jUI, discai-ded Perch-nets, peculiar smell, which is not agreeable to all tastes, it 



l!oach-nets etc. are used. It is also taken witli tackle j loses this when riglitly prepared, and acquires a fairly 



caUcd ii'nniJcldon, which consists of a bright piece of pleasant flavour. Tiie liver is held in the highest 



tin as long as one's linger, to the lower end of which | esteem. In Stockliolm this tish is regarded by many 



four hooks are fastened in a, cross. This is attached 

 to a line ^\•hich is sunk to the bottom and plucked up 

 and down without a, stop, as in bobbing {inmplande) 

 for Herrings. This fish is also speared with small 

 leisters by toi'chlight, and sometimes taken in nets or 

 seines siiot for other fishes. 



The I'^our-horned Cottus is considered the most 

 eatable of the ^vhole genus. Though the flesh has a 



as a great delicacy. It therefore often appears in the 

 market. It is then always skinned, anil the head re- 

 moved. SuNDEVAi.L calculated the annual value of this 

 fishery between 1850 and 1860 at about 2,000 Swe- 

 dish crowns (£l 10). In this estimate, however, the 

 Sea Scorpion is also included. 



(Ekstrom, Smitt.) 



THE SEA SCORPION OR SHORT-SPINED COTTUS (sw. ROTSiMrAN). 



COTTUS SCOKPIUS. 



(Plate Vlir, figs. 2 and .3). 



T(tj) of fhc hern] icith spines and ridges. Preoperciilar margin ivitlt 3 or 4 spines. Lateral line irithoaf spines, 

 f/enerally irifh a rcrg distinct, doirnnrtrd ciirre at the end of the second dorsal fin. Length of the maxillary 

 hones generally greater in the female than in the male (at least after the time n-hen the external difference of sex 

 appears) and varying hetireen 47 and 58 % of the base of the second dorsal fin: the length of the lover jaw, 

 irhich difi'ers in the same /ray according to sex, varying between 57 and 6'8 % of the base of the same fin. Least 

 depth of the tail more than 4\'o % of the length of the body, and varying hetn-een :24 and S3 % of the base of 

 fhc anal fin. Margins of the hranchiostegal membranes united by a free dermal fold across the isfhinns. No 

 dermal fri)iges on the ma.rilUiry hones. Numher of rays in the second doisal fin genendlji more than 14, in the 



anal fin gcne)'((lly more than 11. 



R. hf. G; Z>. 9"— ll!l4''— 17; A. W 

 V. ','3; C. .1- + 7 — 9+.)': L. ha. por. .37—43. 



-14; F. 16''— 18; 



6'yn. Cottus alepidotus; capite polj-acantho; maxilla superiore paullo 

 longiore, .\rt., Gen. Pise, p. 49; Si/n., p. 77; Spec, \>. 

 80. 



Cottits .Scorpa-iia, Lin., Mits. Ad. FrUL, vol. I, p. 70. 



Cottus Scorpius, Lin., Syst. Nat., ed. X, loin. I, p. 265; Fn. 

 Huec, ed. II, p. 115; F.\BK., Fn. Groenl., p. 156; Retz., Fn. 

 Suec. Lin., p. 328; P.\ll., Zoogr. Ross. Asiat., vol. Ill, 

 p. 130; Cuv., Val., Hist. Nut. Poiss., vol. IV, p. 160; 

 Ekstr., Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1831, p. 312; Nilss., Prodr. 

 Ichtli. Seand., p. 96; Fhies, Ekstr., Wright, Skand. Fisk., 

 ed. I, p. 23, tab. 5; Kroy., Damn. F/ske, vol. I, pp. 130 

 et 583; Nilss., iSkaml. Fn., Fisk., p. 68; Gthb, Cat. Brit. 

 Mas., Fish., vol. II, p. 159; Mgrn, Finl. Fisk., p. 6; 

 >SpL:/. Fisk., Ufvers. Vot.-Akad. FiJrh. 1864, p. 495; Lindstr., 

 'iotl. Fisk,, Gotl. L. Hush. Sallsk. Arsber. 1860, p. 14 

 (sep.); Coi.i.., Vid. Selsk. Forli. Christ. 1874, Tillajgsh., p. 



24; Ltkn, Vid. Jleddol. Natnrh. For. Kbhvn 1870, p. 370; 

 Mai.31, Gbgs, Boh. Fn., p. 388; Winth., ZooI. Dan., Fiske, 

 p. 8, tab. II, fig. 1 et 2; Naturh. Tidskr. Kbhvn, .scr. Ill, 

 vol. XII, p. 9; Coll., Norsk. Nordh. Exped., Zool., Fisk., p. 

 25; Day, Fish. G:t Brit., Irei., vol. I, p. 49, tab. XIX, fig. 

 1, tab. XX, fig. 1; Lillj., Sv., Norg. Fisk., vol. I, p. 135; 

 MoREAU, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Fr.. vol. II, p. 298; Mob.. Hcke, 

 Fisch. d. Ostsee, p. 43; Jord., Gilb., Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 No. 16, p. 702. 



Cottus (/roenlandictis, Cuv.. Val., 1. c, p. 185; Richards, 7^/;. 

 Bor. Amer., pt. Ill, pp. 46 et 297, tab. 95, fig. 2; Dek., 

 .V. Y. F,,., Fi.sh., pt. IV, p. 54, tab. IV, fig. 10; Gthr, 

 1. c., p. 161; Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad., 1872, p. 

 213; Jord., Gilb. (subsp.) 1. c, p. 703. 



Cottus porosiis, Cuv., Val., 1. c. vol. VIII, p. 498; Cottus 

 (Acanthocottus) varialiilis (Ayres), labradoricus (Girard), 

 ocellatus, Storer, Journ. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. vol. VI, pp. 

 248 et 253. Cottus glacialis, Richards., Vog. Belcher, 

 vol. II, p. 349, tab. 24. De his synon. vide MORN, 1. c. 



" Sometimes 7 or 8, according to Lutken. 



'' Sometimes 13 or even as many as 19, according to LCtken. 



' Sometimes only 9, according to Day, or 10, according to LOtken; sonietimcs 15, according to the latter. 



'' Only once have 15 been found, according to LiJTKEN. NiLSSON, however, gives from 15 to 17. 



