COD. 



475 



of gill-rakers, the anterior (outer) row on tln' first Mreli 

 i'oiitrtiiiiiiii' long, pectinate s))iiies, the otiier .spines sliort 

 and denticulated. The Iirauchiostegiil iiieuil)rane is 

 furnished with 7 rays, is deeply incised and continuous 

 under the isthmus, Avithout being attached at the mar- 

 gin to tlie latter. The margins of the gill-covers are 

 surrounded ])\ a narrow rim, and the operculum, which 

 is comparativeh' small and triangular, is d(>epl\' notched 

 on the liind inferior side, thus projecting in a ]ioint 

 both above (behind) and lielow. 



The bod's- is covered with tine, thin, and imbricated 

 scales, wliieh, though here of smaller size, ahso clothe 

 the head and the Itases of most of the fins, especially 

 the caudal. The lateral line is broad, but narrower 

 in front, and lies much nearer to the back than to the 

 belly, highest l:)elow the first dorsal fin and straight 

 from the middle or end of the first anal tin to the 

 caudal tin. It has a chain-like or articulated appear- 

 ance, as though it were composed of low, oblong pro- 

 jections. The anal aperture lies below the beginning 

 of the second dorsal fin, in voung specimens somewhat 

 in front of, in old somewhat behind, the middle of the 

 body, the distance between it and the tip of the snout 

 varying between about 42 and b2 % of the length of 

 the body. 



The first of the three dorsal fins is the highest, with 

 rounded apex, and begins somewhat behind the perpen- 

 dicular from the upper angle of the pectoral fin, at a 

 distance from tlie tip of the snout that measures about 

 30—33 %" of the length of the body. It contains from 12 

 to 15 rays, the first two simple, the rest, with the excep- 

 tion of the last or the last two, branched, the third, fourth, 

 or fifth the longest, measuring about 12 — W %'' of the 

 length of the body. The length of its base is about 

 10 Vs — I3V2 ^ of that of the body. The second dorsal 

 fin, varvinij in lenifth between 17' and 20 %, and in 

 heisjht between 12 and 9 %, of the lenoth of the body, 

 in old Cod is about twice as long as high, in younger 

 ones comparatively longer. It begins at a distance 

 from the tip of the snout equal to about 43 — 47 %'' 

 of the length of the body, is highest in front, with the 

 upper margin even and sloping backwards, and is made 

 up of 16 — 20 I'ays, the first two, and sometimes the 

 first four, as well as in most cases the last two, simple, 



tlie others liranclicd, and the third, f'ourtii or fifth the 

 longest. Tlie thii'd doi'sal fin begins at a distance from 

 file tip of the snout that measures (52 — 68 % of the length 

 of the boiK . In height and shape it resembles the second, 

 but is shorter, its length varying between about 16\\, 

 and 13 % of tiiat of the body. It generally contains 

 17 — I'.l ra\s, tlie first three rays and sometimes the last 

 WW simple, the others branclied at the tip. In this 

 fin too, the thiril, fourth, or tif'tli ray is the longest. 



The two anal fins ai'e analogous to the two j>os- 

 terior dorsal fins in shape and position, ihougii in \diing 

 specimens less than al)Out H)() mm. long, the distance 

 between the first anal fin and the ti]> of the snout is 

 .somewhat less than that lietween the second dorsal fin 

 and the same point, but in older specimens increases 

 more and more even in this relation, the latter distance 

 sometimes sinking at least to 86 % of the former. The fir.st 

 anal fin, tlie length of which measures about 20 — ITVa ^ 

 of that of the body, generally contains 19 rays, the 

 first two, three, or four, as well as in many cases the 

 last ray, simple, the re.st In-anched at the tip, and the 

 sixth ray the longest, measuring 10', , — 12 % of the 

 length of the body. The second anal fin varies in 

 length lietween al)out I5V2 ^i^d 12", 2 % of the length 

 of the body, and is generally composed of 17 or 18 

 rays, similar in structure to those of the j)receding tin, 

 the third ray being the longest, and measuring 10— 8 % 

 of the length of the body. 



The caudal fin is truncate, with 24 or 26 (.some- 

 times 23 or 27) divided ravs; and the length of the 

 middle rays varies between 7 and 9 % of that of the body. 



The pectoral and ventral fins are about equal in 

 length in \oung and middle-sized Cod, while in old 

 specimens the latter are somewhat shorter than the for- 

 mer. The pectoral fins are rounded at the tip. Their 

 length varies between 15 and 12\'j % of tiiat of the 

 body. They usually contain 19 or 20 rays, the first 

 more than half as long as the second and. like the latter, 

 simple, the third and fourth the longest and, like the 

 rest, branched at the tip. The ventral fins are set in 

 front of the pectoral, their tips extending to the middle 

 of the latter, Avhen depressed along the body. They 

 contain 6 rays, the second ending in a long, filament- 

 ous tij). 



" In Gadus macrocephahis up t(> at least 38 %. 



'' In G. macrocephalus up In at least 15 ",. 



' Exceptionally IG. 



'' E.xcejiUonally 42, in Gadti.9 iiHicrocepliahti! at least 51. 



