﻿HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 343 



measuring over six inches in length. As the meshes of the net were very large, the 

 greater portion readily escaped ; but with a seine properly constructed, enough could be 

 readily procured to supply the American markets." 



Massachusetts, Storer. New York, Mitchill, Valenciennes. New Jersey, 

 Baird. 



JUGULARES. 



Ventrals attached under the pectorals, and the pelvis immediately suspended to the 

 bones of the shoulder. 



FAMILY XVIII. GADID.E. 



Body elongated, but little compressed, covered with soft scales not very voluminous. 

 The head well-pro j)ortioned, and without scales. All their fins soft. The jaws and 

 the front of the vomer are armed with pointed, irregular teeth, middling or small-sized, 

 in several rows, forming a sort of currycomb or rasp ; their gills are large, with seven 

 rays. Ventrals separate, jugular. Almost all have two or three fins on the back, one 

 or two behind the anus, and a distinct caudal. Their stomach is in the form of a large 

 and strong sac ; their coeca are very numerous, and their caudal tolerably long. They 

 have a large air-bladder, with strong parietes, and frequently dentated in the sides. 



GENTS I. MOERHUA, Ccv. 



Three dorsal fins ; two antil ; ventrals pointed. A barbel at the end of the lower 

 jaw. 



Morrhua Americana, Storer. 



The American Cod. 

 (Plate XX^TI. Fig. 4.) 



Gadus coUarias, Common Cod of New York, Mitchili,, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., i. p. 367. 

 Morrhua Americana, American Cod, Stoeek, Eepoit, p. 120. 



" « Dekat, Report, p. 274, pi. 44, fig. 140. 



" " Stobeb, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, ii. p. 467. 



" " " Synopsis, p. 215. 



Color. An indi-vidual twenty-eight inches in length presents the following appear- 

 ances. Back ash-colored ; sides lighter ; back, sides, and part of the head covered with 

 yellowish spots, which are rather larger and more distinct upon the sides ; beneath, dusky- 



