448 PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. [LOTA. 



Said to be found in vast abundance on many of our coasts, particularly 

 those of Ireland. Rare, according to Fleming, in Scotland. A coarse fish, 

 and seldom admitted to table. 



GEN. 49. LOTA, Cuv. 



133. L. Molva, Nob. (Ling.) Above gray, inclining 

 to olive ; beneath silvery : upper jaw longest. 



Gadus Molva, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 439. Block, Ichth. pi. 69. 

 Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 91. Don. Brit. Fish. vol. v. pi. 102. Asellus 

 longus, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 1 75. tab. L. m. 2. n. 2. Molva vul- 

 garis, Flem. Brit. An. p. 192. Ling, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. m. 

 p. 197. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p.262. Lingue, Cuv. Reg. An. 

 torn. ii. p. 333. 



LENGTH. (Average.) From three to four feet. Pennant mentions 

 having heard of one which reached seven feet. 



DE SCRIPT. (Form.) Body slender, more elongated than that of the 

 Hake, roundish: head flat: gape large: lower jaw shorter than the 

 upper, with a single barbule at its extremity: teeth in the upper jaw 

 small, and very numerous ; those in the lower longer and larger, forming 

 but a single row : lateral line straight : scales small, firmly adhering to 

 the skin : two dorsals ; of equal height : first short, commencing near the 

 head, not pointed as in the Hake, but with most of the rays even : second 

 long, immediately behind the first, reaching nearly to the caudal; the 

 posterior portion the most elevated: vent in a line with the eighth or 

 ninth ray of the second dorsal : anal immediately behind it, long, resem- 

 bling the second dorsal, and terminating in the same line with that fin 

 posteriorly : caudal rounded at the extremity : number of fin-rays, 



D. 1565; A. 67; C. 40; P. 15; V. 6*. 



(Colours.) Back and sides gray, inclining to olive; sometimes cinereous, 

 without the olivaceous tinge; belly silvery: ventrals white; dorsal and 

 anal edged with white ; caudal marked near the end with a transverse 

 black bar, the extreme tip white. 



Not an uncommon species on many parts of the coast. Said by Pen- 

 nant to abound about the Scilly Isles, on the coasts of Scarborough, and 

 those .of Scotland and Ireland. Approaches the land in January and 

 February, according to Mr. Couch, in order to deposit its spawn. Very 

 prolific. Feeds on other fish. 



134. L. vulgaris, Nob. (Burbot.) Yellowish or 

 olivaceous brown, with darker blotches : jaws equal. 



Gadus Lota, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 440. Block, Ichth. pi. 70. 

 Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 91. Don. Brit. Fish. vol. iv. pi. 92. Mustela 

 fluviatilis, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 125. tab. H. 3. f. 4. Molva Lota, 

 Flem. Brit. An. p. 192. Burbot, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 199. 

 Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 265. Barbolt, Bowd. Brit.fr. wat. Fish. 

 Draw. no. 30. Lotte commune, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 334. 



LENGTH. From one to two feet; sometimes more. 

 DESCRIPT. (Form.) Body elongated, thick and roundish anteriorly, 

 but much compressed behind: dorsal line nearly straight, but the ventral 



* The above fin-ray formula is from Turton. 



