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SAND LAUNCE. 



or dying being either sold or cut up as food for their imprisoned relatives. These fishes are 

 extremely voracious, and will eat not only the flesh of their kinsmen, but that of whelks 

 and other molluscs, which are abundantly thrown to them. It is found that under this 

 treatment the Cod is firmer, thicker, and heavier in proportion to its length than if it had 

 been suffered to roam at large in the sea. 



The colour of the Cod is ashen green rather mottled with deeper tints, and the abdomen 

 is white. The head is very large, there is a long fleshy barbule on the chin, and the pupil 

 of the eye is blue. Varieties in colour and even in form are not uncommon, and in some 

 cases are thought to be produced by difference of diet and locality. The average length 

 of an adult Cod-fish is about three feet, and its weight twelve pounds. 



SEVEEAL other species of this genus are found in British waters, such as the DORSE 

 (Morrhua callarias), the HADDOCK (Morrhua oeglefinus), a well-known and very valuable 

 fish, mostly found along the north-eastern coast, and the WHITING POUT, SMELTIE, or KLEG 

 (Morrhua luscd), so often manufactured into whitings by the simple process of slicing off 

 certain parts of the fish, skinning it, and pushing its tail through the head. In this state 

 it is sold and consumed as whiting ; and as one fish is just as good as the other, the 

 consumer suffers no injury, and the enterprising vendor is recompensed for his trouble. 

 The Pout is graphically termed by the fishermen the Stinkalive, because it becomes 

 putrid so soon after death. While living, various iridescent colours play over the surface 

 of the fish, but as soon as it is dead the colours and the dark bands disappear, and the 

 whole upper surface becomes of a dull yellow-brown, the abdomen being whitish with a 

 tinge of blue-grey. 



THE common WHITING (Merlangus vulgaris) is closely allied to the fishes of the 

 preceding genus, and is too well known to need description. The COAL-FISH (Merlangus 

 carbonarius), and the POLLACK (Merlangus pollachius), belong to the same genus as the 

 whiting ; and the HAKE (Merlucius vulgaris) is closely allied to them. 



IN the large and important group of fishes to which our attention is now drawn, the 

 ventral fins are wholly wanting, the body is long, snake-like, smooth and slimy on the 

 exterior, and in many cases covered with very little scales hidden in the thick soft skin. 



SAND LAUNCE. Ammod'&tet lanetu. 



OUR first example is the SAND LAUNCE, a very common fish on many of the British 

 coasts, and usually found wherever the shore is of a sandy character. The generic name 

 Ammodytes signifies sand-diver, and is given to this fish in consequence of its habit of 

 burying itself in the wet sand, where it remains hidden and secure from marine foes. 



