HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 179 



In the winter, this fish is worth about a dollar and a quarter a hundred-weight, while 

 the cod is worth a dollar and three quarters a hundred-weight. This species is some- 

 times taken weighing seventeen pounds, although the average weight is between two 

 and six pounds. 



Maine, Massachusetts, Storer. Connecticut, Linsley. New York, Mitchill, 

 Dekay. 



Morrhua pruinosa, Dekai/. 

 The Tom- Cod. 



(Plate XXVII. Fig. 5.) 



Frost-Cod, and Frost-fish, Pennant, Arctic Zoiil., Supplement, p. 114. 



Gadus pruinosus, Tom-Cod, or Frost-fisli, Mitch., Report in part, p. 4. 



Gudus tomcodus, Tom-Cod, Mucn., Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., I. p. 368. 



Morrhua tomcodus, Tom- Cod, Storer, Report, p. 126. 



Morrhua pruinosa, Tom-Cod, Dekay, Report, p. 278, pi. 44, fig. 142. 



" '' " Atres, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., iv. p. 276. 



" " " Storer, Mem. Amcr. Acad., New Series, II. p. 468. 



" " " " Synopsis, p. 216. 



Color. This species varies exceedingly in its color. Generally it is brown, greenish, 

 or yellowish-brown, with deeper patches, spots, and blotches ; beneath lighter. The 

 whole upper portion of the sides is sprinkled with irregular black points or dots, which 

 are continued upon the ventral, pectoral, and anal fins. The abdomen in front of the 

 vent is almost free from dots in some specimens. Pupils black, irides golden. 



Description. Body oblong, abdomen somewhat prominent. The length of the head 

 is rather less than one fifth the length of the body. The depth of the fish over the 

 anus, exclusive of the dorsal fin, is about one sixth the length of the body. The upper 

 jaw projects beyond the lower ; the snout is blunt ; beneath the chin is situated a small 

 barbel. Compact, small, and sharp teeth in the intermaxillary bone, lower jaw, and 

 upper palatine bones. The eyes are circular ; their diameter is equal to less than one 

 half the distance between them. The nostrils are double, situated just anterior to the 

 eyes ; the posterior and inferior is much the larger. 



The lateral line, arising above the operculum, curves upward to a line opposite the 

 termination of the pectorals, and just beyond these fins commences a straight course, 

 which is continued to the base of the caudal rays. 



The first dorsal fin, which is of a triangular form, commences opposite the middle 

 of the pectorals ,, 



The second dorsal is subquadrangular. 



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