FISHES. 559 



fish was considered as a distinct species, under the 

 name of the green cod. The green colour on the back 

 of the young fish, and the yellow sides, appear to give 

 place to a darker tint, when the fish has reached the 

 length of about 10 in., and it becomes blacker every 

 year as the fish increases in age. 



Is a common fish in all the Scandinavian seas, from the 

 Sound up to the North Pole, but has never been taken in the 

 Baltic. They appear to be most common, however, off 

 Bergen, where they go by different names, according to the 

 different seasons of the year. Under 6 in., they are called 

 "mort," and are then taken in autumn in the shallow 

 fjords off the coast. When they are 9 in. to 18 in. long 

 they are called " pale ;" in the second year, ' ' sma pale ;" 

 in the third year, ' ' stor pale ;" and the larger they 

 are the further they keep from the land. In the fourth 

 year they are called ' ' sej," when they leave the coast and 

 banks, and go out into the deeps. They are said to spawn 

 at Christmas. Usual size of the largest 3 ft. to 3^ ft. Speci- 

 mens of 3 ft. 8 in. weigh 20 Ib. D. 13 + 19 + 20 ; A. 26 

 + 23. 



124. G-. POLLACHIUS, L. Blank sej. The Pollach. D. 



Lateral line dark and crooked; tail fin slightly 

 forked; the dark brown colour of the back and the 

 silvery tinge on the sides, divided by a well-defined line ; 

 anal opening under the front division of the first dorsal ; 

 scales smaller than in the last. Is certainly very rare 

 on the Swedish coast of the Baltic, but is more common 

 the further we proceed up the western coast ; and in 

 the North Skargard, off Gothenburg, they are met with 

 at all seasons of the year, on a sandy bottom, among 

 steep rocks, in ten to twelve fathoms of water. They 

 are said to spawn in April. Length from 2 ft. to 3 ft. 

 D. 12 + 20 + 19; A. 31 + 26. 



(2). With a small barbule. 



125. G. ESMAEKII, Nilss. Sma sej. 



Might be easily confounded with the young of the 



