482 Survey of FisJiing- Grounds, West Coast of Ireland, 1890—1891. 



more with the Scandinavian. The relation of height to length of body may be 

 taken as an instance. In a specimen nearly •! inches (10 cm.) in total length, 

 taken ofE the G-alway Aran Islands, the length, exclusive of tlie caudal fin, is 4j 

 times the height, whereas in one of GfV inches (16 cm.), taken ofP the Kenmare 

 River, the length is 5f times the heiglit. The largest example of the series, 

 however, a fine specimen of 7^ inches (19 cm.), taken at 14-1: fathoms, 15 mi., 

 north-west of Achill Head, agrees in this respect with the specimen of 10 cm., 

 and therefore with the Scottish forms studied by Dr. Giinther. On the other 

 hand, in the proportions of the eye and head, the example of 7^ inches, distinctly 

 resembles the Norwegian condition, since the eye is one-third of the length of the 

 head, and equal in length to the preorbital region, when the mouth ia closed. 

 The barbel is less than half the length of the eye. 



The smaller Irish specimens agree with those from Scotch waters in the 

 comparatively small size of the eye, and, since the dimensions of that organ, in 

 the development of an individual, varies in inverse ratio with the total length, it 

 must be taken that the difference is indicative of a variation of proportion, and 

 not of developmental change. The resemblances, nevertheless, appear to us so 

 much more striking than the discrepancies, that we have no hesitation in adopting 

 Dr. Giiuther's conclusion that they are not of specific value. Moreover, although 

 by taking tlie greatest height of the body as a standard, our largest example 

 appears identical in proportions with the smaller, the general appearance is 

 decidedly more slender. The smaller specimens resemble G. minutus rather 

 closely, and might readily be mistaken for examples of that species ; but the larger 

 have distinctly assumed the elongate form characteristic of all members of the 

 sub-genus Boreogadus, and exemplified, among the forms under consideration in 

 this paper, by G. poutassou. The latter, however, is distinguished at a glance 

 from the species before us by the greater interspace between the second and 

 third dorsals, as well as by other characters hardly less striking. 



In both G. Esinarkii and G. argenteus, the caudal peduncle is more slender than 

 in most Gadi which inhabit chiefl}^ the more littoral regions. This slenderness is 

 of interest, since it may possibly indicate a progression towards tlie typical 

 condition of so many genera of deep-sea Gadoids, where the caudal region tapers 

 away to a point, and bears no true caudal fin. 



The Irish examples yield the following fin- ray formula: — D. 14—16,23—25, 

 22—23 ; A. 26-29, 23—25 ; but, in enumerating the formula in our diagnosis, we 

 have made use of all available information on the subject. It appears that such 

 variation as exists is not of local importance, since the maximum and minimum 

 number of rays have been observed, respectively, in Scandinavian specimens by 

 Smitt and Lilljeborg. 



The body cavity is lined with a dense black peritoneum, and extends to a 



