516 



1874, TilKTgsli., p. 114: Wi.nth., Naliirli. Tidskr. Kblivn, 

 ser. 3, vol. XII, p. 31; Gior-., Espos. Intern. Peso. Berlino 

 1880, Sez. Ital. Cat.., p. 96; Mor. (Merlucuts), Hist. Xat. 

 Poiss. Fr., toin. Ill, p. 251; Day (Merlucdus), Fish. Gt. 

 Brit, Irel., vol. I, p. 300, tab. LXXXV, fig. 1; Apostoi,. 



• (Merluoius), Peche en Grece, p. 29; M6b., Hoke (Merhtc- 

 citts), Fisch. Osts., p. 80; Olsen, Piscat. Atl., tab. 19; 

 Sturm, N. Vid. Selsk. Skr. Trondhj. 1883, p. 34; Bncke, 

 Handb. Fischi. Fischer. (M. v. d. BonNE), p. 105. 



Merlucius sinuatus, Swains., Fish.. Amphih.. Jiepi.. vol. I, p. 

 319, fig. 73, vol. II, p. 390. 



Merliiccitis Linnei, M.-iUi, Gliys, Boh. Fn., p. 489. 



The Hake often attnins :\ length of 12 dm., l)ut 

 in Scandinavian waters it is generally of a sraallev size. 

 The following description is based on eight specimens 

 preserved in s|)irits, from the Sound, Bohusliln, and tlie 

 Mediterranean, the largest specimen (54 cm. long, the 

 smallest 1() cm., and on a note left by Fries, which 

 contains the dimensions of a new-caught specimen 6 

 dm. long. 



Our Hake is most easily distinguished from its 

 recognised congeners" b)- its shorter pectoral fins and 

 broader forehead, ))v the smaller number of rays in the 

 first dorsal fin, and by the generally shorter base of 

 this fin. 



The middle rays of the caudal fin measure Vn'' 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



>art 1)^' KiioYKU. In the o'enus Gadits in ""eneral 



11- 1" ' — e- ■•"""" - ^^ 



both the concentric and the radiating stritv are fairlv 



distinct and almost equally defined, the thin and trans- 

 ]jarent scale presenting under the microscope a. chequered 

 appearance, with oblong, square patches raised al)o-\e 

 the surface. In the Hake, on the other hand, at least 

 in ^'oung specimens between 2 and 8 dm. long, only 

 the concentric, raised striie are quite distinct Avhen only 

 moderately magnified. Beneath a powerful microscope, 

 however, a netM'ork of finer striae between the concentric 

 ones appears on the hind (free) and more rounded part 

 of each scale; and on the anterior (concealed) part of 

 the scale, winch is rather more pointed, the spaces be- 

 tween the concentric stria' are irregularly broken up 

 into elongated markings (lacuna^'), as it were notched 

 at the margin. 



The head is conical and anteriorly depressed, the 

 circumference, seen from above, being parabolic''. The 

 upper surface is fairly l)road, convex or more nearly 

 fiat, the profile being straight without any depressions 

 or ridges in fresh specimens. The W-shaped figure is 

 thus rather indistinct. A uniform covering of small 

 scales extends forward to the up])er lip, which is how- 

 ever naked. The least breadth of the interorbital space 



and the length of the head to the tip of the operculum varies between 7 and 8 % of the length of the body, 

 slightly more than \'/, of the total length of the Ijody, 25 and 30 % of the total length of the head, about 50 

 including the caudal fin. The greatest depth of the (sometimes 49) and 60 % of the postorbital length of 

 body is '/^ of the total length', and the greatest breadth the head, or 72 and 85 % of the base of the first dorsal 

 or thickness at least about "/s <jf the former. ' fin. The opercula and the sides of the head are scaly. 



The scales are firmh* attached and large in com- The eye is round, closely surrounded by the well-defined 

 parisou with those of the other Codfishes, though the margin of the rather oblong orbit. The hind margin 

 largest scales of a Hake 245 mm. long are not more of the latter generally lies nearly at the middle of the 

 than about 2 mm. in length, and in a .specimen 42 era. 

 long not more than about 3 mm. broad. On an aver- 

 age we find 145 scales in a row along the sides of the 

 body Ixilow the lateral line, the variations apparently 

 running between 138 and 154. Tliey are regularly 

 arranged, rounded, and distinctly imbricated. One pe- 

 culiarity of thcii- structure has already been remarked 



length of the head, though the postorbital length of the 

 head varies between 46 '/a ^"d 53 % of its total length. 

 The length of the eye itself varies between about 18' o 

 % of the length of the head (in specimens 16 cm. long) 

 and about 14 % thereof (in specimens 64 cm. long), 

 Ijeing in young specimens generally rather more, in 

 old distinctly less, than half the length of the snout. 



" The North American Merlucius bilinearis, from the Atlantic, and Merl. prodiictiis from the Pacific. 



'' Varying, according to our measurements, between 9 (sometimes 8) and 10 %. 



'^ Varying, according to our measurements, between about 28 and 25 % (sometimes 24'/., %). 



'' Varying, according to our me.isurements, between about 13 and 16-/3 °^°- ^" ^'- Wright's figure, however, which is certainly true 

 to nature, tlie depth of the body is still greater. 



'■ Cf. Baudelot, Kcailles cles poissoiis osseu.r. Arch Zool. Exper., tome 2 (1873), pi. \'I1, tig. 4. 



/ The head is very like that of the Pike, and this resemblance is still further enhanced by the n])pcarancc of the teeth. Hence tin- 

 name of Merhiciu.i, a shorter form of maris lucius (Sea-Pi ke). The derivation suggested by Fader, from maris lux has nothing to recommend 

 it, for this tish is by no means one of (he brightest in tlie regions where the name has originated, though in northern latitudes the rather 

 lustrous surface of its Imily has given rise to tho name of Li/simj (Shiner). ' 



