168 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



GENUS III. Molva, Nilsson. 



Geographical distribution. Marine fishes inhabiting the 

 temperate waters of the northern hemisphere. 



i. Ling (Molva vulgaris). 



Names. Ling is stated by most authors to be a corrup- 

 tion from " long," because this fish is similar in appearance 

 to the cod, but more elongated. Kellin, Aberdeen ; lahan, 

 Moray Firth ; drizzle, if small ; it has also been known, 

 according to T. Satchell, as ling drizzle, olic, spotted ling, 

 white-ling and stake. 



B. vii., D. 13-16 | 63-70, V. 6, A. 57-66, Caec. pyl. 32, 

 Vert, ff . 



Length of head 5 ; height of body 7 to 8 in the total 

 length. Eye. Diameter 5 to 7 times in the length of the 

 head, ii to 2 diameters from the end of the snout, and i to 

 i apart. The maxilla reaches to beneath the middle of 

 the eye ; upper jaw the longer. The mandibular barbel 

 extends to beneath the centre of the orbit. Anterior nasal 

 valve is prolonged into a short barbel. Teeth. Cardiform 

 in the jaws, with an inner row of rather widely separated 

 and pointed ones in the mandibles ; in a semicircular band 

 on the vomer, among which a few pointed ones are inter- 

 spersed ; none on the palatines or tongue. Fins. The 

 first dorsal commences above the last half of the pectoral, 

 while scarcely any interspace exists between its base and 

 that of the second dorsal, which terminates close to the 

 root of the caudal fin. Ventral jugular. Anal commences 

 beneath the seventh or eighth ray of the second dorsal, 

 and ends close below the base of the caudal fin. Lateral- 



