oj the Fishery Board for Scotland. 249 



Plate VIII.— Cod, Fig. 7: Saithe, Figs. 5, 8, 11 : Lythe, Figs. 6, 9, 10. 



The pectoral fill of thesaithe is pointed at its extremity, whereas in the 

 cod and lythe it is rounded (Figs. 1, 3, and 7, Plate VIII.). 



Colours. 



Cod. — The following description was taken from a female cod 

 46 "3 cm. in length, an hour or two after capture :— * 



On the dorsum and greater part of the side the ground colour is slaty 

 green (dark olive). It is splashed all over the abdominal and caudal 

 portions with round laminarian yellow patches closely set together ; they 

 extend on the sides down below the lateral line. In the caudal part of 

 the body, that is behind the level of the anus, the patches are united into 

 a broad yellow longitudinal band running above and below the white 

 caudal part of the lateral line. On the side of the abdomen the lower 

 border of the yellow blotches is in line with the band on the ventral side 

 of the caudal part of the lateral line. 



The part of the side below the yellow patches is slate coloured. 



The belly is white. The white part is, however, restricted. It is 

 broad below the head and in the pectoral region, but it gradually 

 narrows till behind the anus it is a mere strip alongside the bases of the 

 anal fins. 



The dorsum of the head and of the trunk in front of the first dorsal fin 

 is of a dark olive colour. 



The dorsal fins and tail are olive ; the anals white along their bases, 

 merging into a slaty colour along the distal part of the fin. 



The pectoral fin is light, almost colourless, with a yellow tinge. 



The ventral fin has a white base, white outer border, dark slaty 

 superior surface, and white and slaty inferior surface. 



Saithe. — The following description was taken from two saithe 

 measuring respectively 56*8 cm. male, and 54 cm. female, captured a 

 short time previously : — 



