GEN. MERLANGUS. COUCHES WHITING. 193 



" Length fifteen inches ; the depth in a straight 

 line, two inches and a half; from the base of the 

 first dorsal fin to the vent, along the curve, three 

 inches; from the mouth to the edge of the gill-cover, 

 three inches ; from the same to the anterior edge of 

 the eye, one inch ; the eye large, the form a per- 

 pendicular oval ; under jaw the longest ; the upper 

 maxillary bone terminal, the snout receding from 

 it backwards, contrary to the form of the Whiting, 

 in which the upper jaw is under a projection ; the 

 general form of the body resembles that of a Whit- 

 ing, but rather more slender ; the back rounded, as 

 if the specimen was plump, thus showing its slender 

 form not to be the result of emaciation ; teeth in 

 the jaws as in the Whiting ; on the roof of the 

 mouth a pair of prominent, sharp, incurved teeth ; 

 lateral line straight, and passing near the back ; 

 another line along the middle of the body formed 

 by the meeting of the muscles; the body ending 

 arrow-shaped at the caudal fin ; the first dorsal fin 

 begins over the posterior third of the pectoral ; the 

 second dorsal fin like the first in form and elevation, 

 both being triangular ; between them a space about 

 equal to their separate breadth ; nearly twice this 

 breadth between the second and the third dorsal 

 fin ; the beginning of the third dorsal fin is slightly 

 anterior to that of the second anal fin ; caudal fin 

 shaped as in the Whiting, but less wide ; the pecto- 

 ral fin ends opposite the middle of the first dorsal 

 fin, ventral fins small and slender, placed rather higli 

 on the side, and much like those of the Whiting 



