HAKE. 179 



Mediterranean, and considerable traffic is carried on with 

 this fish : they are packed with aromatic plants, and sent 

 to the towns removed from the coast. The Hake is de- 

 scribed and figured by Rondeletius, and was known to the 

 older naturalists before him. 



A Hake of three feet eight inches long in the shop of 

 a London fishmonger, in May 1835, supplied the means 

 of obtaining the following particulars. The length of the 

 head, compared to the length of the body alone, as one 

 to three ; the depth of the body not so great as the length 

 of the head : the ventral fins are placed in advance of the 

 pectorals ; the rays not unequally elongated : the pectoral 

 fins commence in a line under the posterior angle of the 

 operculum ; the rays ending with the end of the first dorsal 

 fin : the first dorsal fin itself short and triangular in shape ; 

 the second dorsal fin commences in a line over the vent ; 

 the anal fin begins immediately behind the vent ; both the 

 second dorsal fin and the anal fin terminate on the same 

 plane, near the tail ; the rays strong and stiff: the caudal 

 rays about three inches long, and nearly even. The fin-rays 

 in number are 



D. 10. 29. : P. 11 : V. 7 : A. 21 : C. 19. 



The head is depressed : the inside of the mouth and 

 gill-covers black ; lower jaw the longest ; teeth slender and 

 sharp, in a single row in each jaw : the irides yellow with 

 a dark outer circle. The lateral line of the body straight 

 throughout the posterior half, then gradually rising to the 

 upper edge of the operculum ; the appearance of the lateral 

 line is that of one white line between two dark ones : the 

 scales large ; colour of the body dusky brown above, lighter 

 beneath ; dorsal and caudal fins dark ; ventral and anal 

 fins pale brown. 



