MERLANGUS. 205 



aware of the objections that will probably be made 

 against the following remarks on this perplexing 

 variety of the cod, — so far as it respects the 

 place assigned it in the classification. 



Very erroneously, the tom-cod has been suppo- 

 sed to be peculiar to this section of the United 

 States, and a stranger, therefore, to other seas. 

 After a careful examination of the plates and de- 

 scriptions of foreign writers, together with the live 

 fish before us at the moment of making these ob- 

 servations, it is apparent that the tom-cod is well 

 known in some parts of Europe. 



From a note in a French work on icthyology, it 

 is pretty evident that by tacaud, is indicated the 

 fish known to us by the appellation of tom-cod, — 

 though the writer was probably wholly in- 

 debted to some American for the description 

 of it. 



The Hon. John Davis, a gentleman ably quali- 

 fied to examine and determine correctly, informs 

 us that tom-cod is probably a corruption of tau- 

 caud, and if this is the fish indicated by Cuvier, 

 then " Gadus Taucaud" would seem preferable 

 to the name which has been given it by Dr Mitch- 

 ell, of New York, gadus tomcodus ! Judge Da- 

 vis says the doctor's scientific name generally ex- 

 cites a smile, when pronounced, but in defence, he 

 can plead, if necessary, the Felis catus, and mus- 

 rattus of Linnaeus ! 



