354 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



nearly to the base of the tail ; snout with barbules, one on 

 the chin. 



MOTELLA VULGARIS.* ThE ThREE-BeaRDED RoCKLING. 



Specific Character. — Snout with two barbules, and one on the chin. 



Description. — From a specimen sixteen inches in length. Head about 

 one-fifth of the whole length ; depth of the body mucli less than the 

 length of the head. Colour of the head, back, and sides, yellowish- 

 brown, marked with a few large, irregular, dusky spots ; pectoral, 

 dorsal, and caudal fins, brown ; belly, ventral, and anal fins, pale 

 dusky-yellow ; irides bright yellow. First dorsal fin, about an inch 

 and a half in length, commencing over the base of the pectorals and 

 terminating in a line over the end of the fourth ray of the same fin ; 

 the first ray much the longest and stoutest, the rest very fine, scarcely 

 perceptible. Second dorsal arising at a short interval from the ter- 

 mination of the first, and ending close to the short lateral raj'S of the 

 caudal fin ; all the rays nearly of equal height, about half the length 

 of the middle ray of the pectoral fin. Anal commencing in a line 

 under the twelfth or thirteenth ray of the second dorsal, and termi- 

 nating in a line with the last ray of the same fin ; all the rays nearly 

 of equal height, but rather shorter than those of the second dorsal ; 

 caudal fin rounded at the end ; ventrals in advance of the base of the 

 pectorals ; the second ray greatly produced, being as long as the 

 base of the first fifteen rays of the anal ; pectorals rather longer than 

 the caudal, the three or four middle rays of equal length, giving a 

 rounded form to the end of the fin. Gape rather wide ; under jaw 

 the shortest ; maxillary extending back to beneath the posterior mar- 

 gin of the orbit. Teeth numerous, and of irregular length, in both 

 jaws as well as on the front of the vomer ; under jaw the shortest, 

 with a long barbule on the chin, and one on each side of the snout in 

 front of the eyes. Scales of the head and bod}- adherent, small, finely 

 striated, and of an oval form ; lateral line scarcely perceptible. 

 Number of fin rays — 



1st D. 76 ; 2d"D. .57 ; P. 28 ; V. 7 ; A. 50 ; C. 20. 



It is distinguished from the common ling and burbot 

 in the first dorsal fin being scarcely perceptible, and in hav- 

 ing a barbule in front of each eye. 



• Motella imlgaris, Cnv.,YaTr. Motellatricirrata,^e\\. Mustela ma- 

 rina, Ray. Gadus mustela, Penn. Gadus triciiratus, Bloch. Sea-Loche 

 Whistle-fish. 



