THE COD. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE FISH. 



The body of the cod is moderately long, compressed and tapering 

 behind; the greatest depth is about one-fourth its length. The large 

 head is narrowed anteriorly and is contained 3 J io 4^ times in the 

 body length. The mouth is large; the lower jaw is included within 

 the upper when the mouth is closed ; the maxillary extends to about 

 middle of eye. The diameter of the eye is about half the length of the 

 snout and one-fifth that of the head. There is a conspicuous barbel on 

 the chin. The number of dorsal fins is 3 and of anal fins 2; the 

 dorsal rays are usually about 14, 21, and 19 in the respective fins, and 

 the anal rays are 20 and 18. The ventral fins are well developed, with 

 about 7 rays. The cycloid scales, with which the body is covered, are 

 very small. The air-bladder is large and thick. The color varies 

 greatly, depending on food, kind of bottom on which found, and other 

 conditions. Fish taken offshore in deej) water are usuall}' oliv^aceous 

 on the back and whitish beneath ; the so-called rock cod, found in shoaler 

 water among rocks and kelp, vary in color from green to deep red. The 

 back and sides are covered with small, round, reddish-brown spots. 

 The lateral line is conspicuous, of a whitish color. The fins are dark. 



From other species of the family, taken in the same waters, the cod 

 is readily distinguished. From the haddock it differs in having a pale, 

 instead of a black, lateral line; in its sj)ots (absent in the haddock), 

 and in its larger maxillary bone, which reaches past the eye, while in 

 the haddock this bone does not extend to the eye. The features dis- 

 tinguishing the pollock from the cod are the smaller size, the projecting 

 lower jaw, the uniform coloration above, the sharp snout, the smaller 

 barbel, etc. The hakes have only 1 anal and 2 dorsal fins, a filamentous 

 prolongation of the first dorsal ray, and a ventral fin consisting of two 

 or three very long filamentous rays. 



The status of the cod of the North Pacific Ocean is somewhat uncer- 

 tain. It has generally been considered identical with the Atlantic 

 species, but its smaller air-bladder and other features may entitle it to 

 recognition as a distinct species. 



RANGE, MOVEMENTS, FOOD, ETC. 



Cod are widely distributed in the North Atlantic Ocean, To the 

 north they range far beyond the Arctic Circle, and to the south as far 

 as Cape Hatteras, although they are not common south of New Jersey. 



F. C. R. 1897 13 193 



