THE COD. 



THE CODFISH (Gadus morrhua). 

 THE WHITING (G. merlangus). 

 THE HADDOCK (G. tzglefinus) .' 



A. THE SKELETON. 



I. A cod's skeleton is readily prepared by placing the 

 fish, after removal of the viscera, into boiling 

 water for a few minutes, and thus stripping off 

 the flesh and other soft parts. By this process the 

 bones are obtained separate from one another, 

 with the exception of those forming the brain- case, 

 the high temperature causing gelatinization of the 

 connective. tissue which unites them. The bones 

 should be removed one by one and placed out in 

 order, to dry, each being as far as possible identi- 

 fied and its relations to surrounding bones deter- 

 mined before removal. As this is a matter of 

 considerable difficulty in the case of the bones of 

 the head, it is advisable to prepare a second skull 



1 These are the three commonest species of the genus Gadus brought 

 to the English markets : the differences between them are comparatively 

 unimportant (see 8, 18, 19, 72, 80, 85). 



