MERLUCCIUS.] PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. 44? 



upper : lateral line perfectly straight throughout its whole course : dorsal 

 and anal fins much as in the Pollack : ventrals rather longer than in that 

 species : caudal more deeply forked : number of fin-rays, 



D. 141922; A. 2624; C. 31, &c. ; P. 21 ; V. 6. 



(Colours.) Head, back, upper part of the sides, and dorsal fins, brown, 

 dusky, or deep black ; varying in different specimens : lateral line, belly, 

 ventral and anal fins, whitish. According to Pennant, the dark colour 

 of the back and sides deepens with age. 



Equally common with the last species, but taken in most abundance on 

 the northern coasts of the Island. Said by Pennant to swarm about the 

 Orkneys, where the young are much used by the poor as an article of 

 food. Is called in Cornwall a Rauning Pollack. 



131. M. virens, Flem. (Green Cod.) "Jaws equal: 

 lateral line straight. " 



M. virens, Flem. Brit. An. p. 195. Gadus virens, Linn. Syst. Nat. 

 torn. i. p. 438. Neill in Wern. Mem. vol. i. p. 532. Green 

 Cod, Penn. Brit. Zool. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 253. 



LENGTH. Less than a foot. FLEM. 



DESCRIPT. "Smooth; dusky green on the back, silvery in every 

 other part : jaws of equal length ; side-line straight ; tail forked." PENN. 

 According to Fleming, the number of fin-rays is, 



D. 152419 ; A. 2722 ; P. 22 ; V. 6. 



This species, which I have not seen, is said by Mr. Neill to resemble 

 the young Coal-Fish. Pennant first included it in the British Fauna, 

 on the authority of Sir John Cullum. Dr. Fleming states, that it is 

 frequently taken in the Frith of Forth, during Summer. 



GEN. 48. MERLUCCIUS, Cuv. 



132. M. vulgaris, Flem. (Common Hake.) " Whitish, 

 grayish on the back : lower jaw longest." 



M. vulgaris, Flem. Brit. An. p. 195. Gadus Merluccius, Linn. Syst. 

 Nat. torn. i. p. 439. Block, Ichth. pi. 164. Don. Brit. Fish. 

 vol. n. pi. 28. Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 91. Asellus primus, Will. 

 Hist. Pise. p. 174. tab. L. m. 2. n. 1. Hake, Penn. Brit. Zool. 

 vol. in. p. 191. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. m. p. 257. Merlus ordi- 

 naire, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 333. 



LENGTH. From eighteen inches to nearly three feet. PENN. 



DESCRIPT. Of a slender elongated form : head large, broad, and flat- 

 tish : mouth very wide : lower jaw longest : teeth very long and sharp, 

 particularly those of the lower jaw: near the eyes four small perfora- 

 tions : lateral line straight, nearer the back, beginning with several small 

 tubercles near the head: vent nearer the head: first dorsal small, and 

 pointed : the second reaching from the base of the first almost to the tail; 

 the last rays highest: pectorals and ventrals pointed: caudal nearly even: 

 number of fin-rays, 



D. 938 to 40 ; A. 36 to 39 ; C. 18 ; P. 12 to 15 ; V. 7 or 8. PENN. & TURT. 



