218 



ICHTHYOLOGY. 



Malacop- 

 tervgii 



Sub-brc- 

 ciiiatL 



Gadidae. 



M. agkfinus (Gadus ceglefinus, Linn.). The haddock 

 (FEgrefin, Fr. ; ScholIfiscU, Germ.) is as nell known, and al- 

 most as important, as the cod in this country ; it is of a 

 smaller size, usually eighteen inches long. The back is 

 brown, the belly silvery, and the lateral line black. There 

 is a blackish spot behind the pectoral fin, which tradition 

 assigns to the impression of St Peter's finger and thumb 

 when he took the tribute-money out of the mouth of a fish, 

 supposed the haddock. The upper jaw is longest. 



The haddock is found, like the cod, in the Northern 

 Ocean, but has not been seen in the Baltic. It annually 

 approaches the shores, in February and March generally, 

 in order to deposit its sjjawn. The regularity with which 

 it re-appears in some districts on a stated day is quite re- 

 markable. On the coast of Yorkshire, since the year 

 1766, they have annually made their appearance on the 

 10th of December. At this place they are supposed to 

 form an immense shoal three miles broad, and extending 

 eighty miles in length, — from Flamborough Head to the 

 mouth of the Tyne. It is in autumn that they visit the 

 shores of Holland and East Friesland, and the neighbour- 

 hood of Heligoland. 



The haddock frequents our coasts during the greater part 

 of the year, although the largest are taken in winter. The 

 flesh is generally best in the months of May and June. 



It is stated, that in the north, when the sea is frozen near 

 the shore, these fish collect in troops beneath any openings 

 in the ice, and the Greenlanders are thus enabled to catch 

 them in considerable numbers. The seals and foxes adopt 

 the same method of securing them for food. The food of 

 the haddock is very similar to that of the cod, which spe- 

 cies it resembles in its voracious habits. 



M. callarias ( Gadus callarias, Linn.). The dorse (Faux 

 Merlan, Fr.) is smaller than the haddock, being only eleven 

 or twelve inches long. It is spotted like the cod, and has 

 the upper jaw longer than the under. The lateral line is 

 placed near the back. It resembles the whiting in taste, 

 and is considered by many as the best eating fish of all 

 the Gadus tribe. It is much sought after on the shores of 

 the Baltic. 



This fish frequents the mouths of large rivers, which it 

 sometimes ascends along with the salt water. It is gene- 

 rally taken in June. The Icelanders salt and dry it, and 

 the Greenlanders are said frequently to eat it in a state of 

 semi-putrefaction. 



To these fishes, which are among the best-determined 

 species of the old genus Gadus, may be added Gadus bar- 

 batus or whiting pout, a fish about eighteen inches or 

 two feet long, which is eaten by the Greenlanders, but 

 not much esteemed. Gadus minutits, the capelan or poor, 

 Gadus punclalus, the speckled cod, and Gadus luscus, the 

 bib, may be named as other species which occur along the 

 British shores. 



Genus Meklangus, Cuv. The whitings have the same 

 number of fins as the cods, but they want the barbels. 



M. vulgaris ( Gadus merlangus, Linn.). The whiting, 

 Merlan, Fr. ; Witliitg, Germ. The body a foot or more in 

 length ; upper jaw long ; pale reddish-gray back, and sil- 

 very belly ; lateral line yellow, nearly straight. 



This fish ij very common on our coasts, and is valued 

 on account of its abundance, and the wholesomeness and 

 fine flavour of its flesh. It is often salted and dried in this 

 country, as well as in Holland. The shoals of whitings 

 sometimes occupy a space three miles long, and one and 

 a half broad. It is generally fished in summer in this 

 country, and is taken both with the line and net. The 

 food of the whiting is similar to that of the haddock. It 

 is more frequently found near the shore than that species. 

 M. carhoiiarius ( Gadus carbonarius, L.). The coal-fish 

 (Merlan nuir ou Colin, Fr. ; Kohlfisch, Germ.) is twice the 

 size of the whiting, and of a deep brown colour ; the upper 



jaw shortest ; the lateral line straight and white. The flesh Alalacop. 

 of the young is rather delicate ; that of the adult is some- 'erygii 

 w hat leathery, but it is used when salted and dried, like the Sub-bra- 

 cod. This is the poilhy, silloch, cuddy, Sec. of our coasts. ci,A\AL 

 The young swarm along the British shores, and form a fre- '_^ -_< 

 quent sustenance of the lower orders of tlie Western High- 

 lands. On one occasion we killed thirty-three dozen with 

 the rod in a few hours, using a line with six small flies. By 

 giving the line one or two additional turns through the wa- 

 ter, we frequently pulled six ashore at once. It even consti- 

 tutes an important article of exportation from our northern 

 coasts. In Norway the poor ii^ed upon it ; and oil is made 

 from its liver. The adult fish is taken principally in sum- 

 mer ; it deposits its spawn in this country in February and 

 March. The coal-fish is found in the North Atlantic and 

 Pacific Oceans ; and sometimes, though very rarely, in the 

 Mediterranean Sea, — for example, near Nice. 



M. pollachivs ( Gadus pollachius, L.). The pollock or 

 pollack, Merlan jaune, Fr. About eighteen inches long; 

 resembles M. carbonarius in its general form and struc- 

 ture of the jaws ; brown above and silvery beneath ; sides 

 spotted ; lateral line curved, black. The flesh of the pol- 

 lock is considered better than that of the coal-fish, and 

 inferior only to that of the dorse and whiting ; it inhabits 

 the Atlantic, and is gregarious. It is commonest on the 

 coasts of Norway and the north of England, and sometimes 

 occurs in the Mediterranean in winter. It is easily caught 

 with a white fly. 



Gadus vireiu, Ascan., the sey, may also be included in 

 the genus Merlangus. 



Genus Merluccius, Cuv. The hakes have only two 

 dorsal fins and one anal, and resemble the whitings in the 

 absence of the barbels. 



M. vulgaris ( Gadus merluccius, L.). The hake (le Mer- 

 lus, Fr.) is generally from one to two feet long, but some- 

 times much larger. The back of a brownish-gray colour ; 

 the anterior dorsal fin pointed ; the lower jaw longest. 



Great numbers are taken in the ocean, and in the Me- 

 diterranean. On the coasts of the Mediterranean it is 

 called merlan or whiting ; s.iul, when dried, it receives in 

 the north the name of stock-fish, in the same way as the 

 cod. It is said to be very abundant in tlie Bay of Gal- 

 way on the west of Ireland, and at Penzance in Cornwall. 

 The flesh is white and flaky, and its liver is considered a 

 delicacy. 



Gadus magellanicus, Forst., and Gadus maraldi, Risso, 

 may be included in this group. 



Genus Lota, Cuv. The lings have the same fins as 

 the hakes, but are also provided with barbels to a great- 

 er or less amount. 



Lota molva (Gadus molva, L.) or common ling (la 

 Lingue, or Morue longue, Fr.), is the best-known species. It 

 measures from three to four feet in length, and sometimes 

 even attains the size of seven feet; it is named ling from 

 its lengthened shape. Olive above, silvery beneath. The 

 fins have a white margin; the two dorsal fins are of equal 

 height. The lower jaw rather the shortest, and furnish- 

 ed with a single barbel. 



This fish spawns in June ; it inhabits the same seas as 

 the cod, and is fished in the same manner during the 

 spring months. It is preserved dry, and exported in con- 

 siderable quantity. 



Lota Jluviatilis (Gadus lota, L.), river ling or burbot 

 (la Lolte commune, Fr.), is from one to two feet long. Its 

 colour yellow, marbled with brown ; a single barbel on 

 the chin. The two dorsal fins are of equal height, tlie 

 second extending to near the tail. The body is almost 

 cylindrical, and the head slightly depressed, so as to give 

 the fish a peculiar appearance, somewhat resembling that 

 of an eel ; hence its occasional name of Eel Pout. See 

 Plate CCCV. fig. 5. 



