THE HAKES 



Family LXX. Mcrlucciida 



BODY moderately elongate, covered with small, smooth, de- 

 ciduous scales; head elongate, depressed and pike-like; mouth ter- 

 minal, with strong teeth; no barbels; dorsal fins 2, a short anterior and 

 along posterior one; a long anal fin. This family contains a single 

 genus with about 4 species, large cod-like fishes of voracious habits, 

 inhabiting moderate depths in northern seas. Merluccius merluccius 

 is the common European hake which strays to Greenland. M. 

 bilinearis, the silver hake, New England ' hake, or whiting, is 

 common from Newfoundland to Cape Cod, and south to the 

 Bahamas in deep water. It is of considerable food-value. 



The remaining species in our waters is M. productus, which 





occurs on our Pacific Coast from Santa Catalina to Puget Sound; 

 everywhere abundant and used as food, but it is of coarse and watery 

 texture. 



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