MERLANGUS. 205 



aware of the objections that will probably be made 

 against the following remarks on this perplexing 

 variety of the cod, so far as it respects the 

 place assigned it in the classification. 



Very erroneously, the torn-cod has been suppo- 

 sed to be peculiar to this section of the United 

 States, and a stranger, therefore, to other seas. 

 After a careful examination of the plates and de- 

 scriptions of foreign writers, together with the live 

 fish before us at the moment of making these ob- 

 servations, it is apparent that the torn-cod is well 

 known in some parts of Europe. 



From a note in a French work on icthyology, it 

 is pretty evident that by tacaud, is indicated the 

 fish known to us by the appellation of torn-cod, 

 though the writer was probably wholly in- 

 debted to some American for the description 

 of it. 



The Hon. John Davis, a gentleman ably quali- 

 fied to examine and determine correctly, informs 

 us that torn-cod is probably a corruption of tau- 

 caud, and if this is the fish indicated by Cuvier, 

 then " Gadus Taucaud" would seem preferable 

 to the name which has been given it by Dr Mitch- 

 ell, of New^ York, gadu tomcodus ! Judge Da- 

 vis says the doctor's scientific name generally ex- 

 cites a smile, when pronounced, but in defence, he 

 can plead, if necessary, the Felis catus, and mus- 

 rattus of Linnaeus ! 



