198 FISHES. MALACOPTERYGIOUS. Molva 



Assellus mollis minor, Will. Ich. I71. Jago, Ray Syn. Pise. 163. Gadus 

 minutus, Linn. Syst. i. 438. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 185. Block, Ich. t. 

 67. Found on the coast of Cornwall by the Reverend Mr Jago. 

 Length about 6 inches. Back light brown ; belly whitish. Body lengthen- 

 ed. Tail rounded. Lateral line nan-ow, straight. Anus in the middle of 

 the body. 1st D. 12, 2d 19, 3d 17 ; P- 13 ; V. 6 ; 1st A. 27, 2d 17- Approaches 

 the shore in spring. 



81. M. pimctatus. — " Pale brown, with golden spots; be- 

 neath white, thickly covered with minute dusky specks ; upper 

 jaw longer." 



" Speckled Cod, (Gadus punctatus, Turton's Brit. Fauna, i. 90.) Taken 

 frequently in the Weirs at Swansea." 

 " Body 18 inches long, slightly arched on the back, a little prominent on the 

 belly ; covered, above, with numerous gold-yellow roundish spots ; beneath, 

 with dusky specks, which are stellate under a glass. Head large, gradually 

 sloping ; teeth small, in several rows in the upper jaw, in the lower a single 

 row ; nostrils double ; iris reddish, pupil black ; chin with a single beard ; 

 nape with a deep longitudinal groove. Lateral line nearer the back, curved 

 as far as the middle second dorsal fin, growing broader and whiter towards 

 the end. Upper fins and tail brown, with obscure yellowish spots, and dark- 

 er towards the ends ; lower ones tinged with green. Vent near the middle 

 of the body. Scales small, all of them, under a glass, minutel}' spreckled 

 with brown ; gill-covers of two pieces. Lower-jaw with 5 obscure punctures 

 on each side. Dorsal fins 14-20, 18 rayed ; pectoral 18; ventral 6, the first 

 ray shorter than the second, and divided a little way down ; anal 19-16; tail 

 even, 36, rayed. Differs from Gadus Morhua (M. vulgaris) in not having 

 the first anal ray spinous, and in the lower jaw being considerably longer ; 

 from G. luscus in the first ray of the ventral fin being shorter than the se- 

 cond ; from G. barbatus in wanting the 7 distinct punctures on the lower 

 jaw, in its small scales, and in the first dorsal fin not ending in a long fibre ; 

 and from G. Callarias, in not being spotted with brown, and in having the 

 lateral line white." 



# 



Gen. XXXIX. MOLVA. Ling.— Body lengthened; head 

 flat ; lateral line straight. The second dorsal and anal fins 

 long, the rays of nearly equal length. 



82. M. vulgaris. Common Ling. — Upper-jaw longest ; tail 

 rounded ; with a dusky bar. 



Asellus varius Molva, Merr. Pin. 184. Sibb. Scot. 23 — A. longus, TVill. 



Ich. 175 Gadus Molva, Lifin. Syst. i. 439. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii 



197 Common. 



Length fi-om 3 to 4 feet. Above, grey, inclining to olive ; beneath white ; 

 the dorsal and anal fins edged with white. 1st D. 15, 2d 65 ; P. 15 ; V. 6 ; 

 A. 62. Spawns In spring. When in season as food the liver is white. 



83. M. Lota. Burbot. — Jaws equal; tail oval, slightly 

 pointed. 



Mustela, Merr. Pin. 190. Will. Ich. 125.— Gadus Lota, Linn. Syst. i. 

 440. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 199. Don. Brit. Fishes, t. 92 — E, Eel- 

 pont, Coneyfish, Birdbolt — In slow running rivers, England. 

 Length from 1 to 3 feet. Colour brownish, blotched with olive or yellow. 

 Teeth smaU. The first dorsal fin is short, with 1 1 rays ; the second extends 

 almost to the tail, of 61 rays ; P. 16 ; V. 7 ; A. 50. Spawns in December. Es- 

 teemed a delicate fish for the table. 



