522 THE MOLVA ABYSSORUM. 



very imperfectly known to Northern naturalists ; Nilsson 

 says it spawns in March, but Ekstrom and Kriiyer in 

 June. Then again, we are told it deposits its roe amongst 

 tang and other weeds at the bottom of the sea, which 

 supposition (this fish holding its Lek in the deeps) 

 Ekstrdm imagines to be mere guess-work. Its flesh, when 

 fresh, is much prized for the table ; as also its liver, 

 which the fishermen in our Skiirgard convert into a dish 

 called stamp, somewhat resembling "stirabout" in appear- 

 ance, which they cat with much relish. Few fishes, it is 

 probable, are troubled with so many diseases as the Ling. 

 To say nothing of worms, which are almost always seen 

 in its intestines, its liver is not seldom found to be for the 

 greater part eaten away. At times, moreover, it is liable 

 to a cutaneous disorder a sort of scab, that is very 

 uncommon in other fishes. It is captured in much the 

 same manner as the Cod, with the line and the " long 

 line." The best fishing-ground was said to be at some 

 distance to the north-west of the Scaw. 



Nilsson, it should be observed, has recently added 

 another Ling, the 3folva Abyssoriiin. Nilss. (/>'////>'-/"////<", 

 Norw.), to the Scandinavian fauna. It is found, he says, 

 on the coast of Norway, from about CO up to llelu-eland, 

 and he describes it as very similar in appearance to the 

 Common Ling; but it may be distinguished from the 

 latter by the lower jaw being the longest, the e\ es larger, 

 and the body much more tapering to the tail. The habits 

 of the two, the Professor further tells us, are widely 

 dillerent ; the Common Ling, as a rule, always holding 

 to the deeps, whilst the M. Jb>/x.wrm/i, on the contrary, 

 is never taken far out at sea, but in such bays and inlets 

 on the coast as are of considerable depth, with a muddy 

 bottom. The flesh of this fish, he adds, is more delicate 

 and better than that of the Common Ling. 



The Three-bearded Itoeklinir (Tri--t"iinit<i M^ /-/</// w. 



