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SAND LAUNCE. 



the dead 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 color 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 color and even in form are not un- 

 common, 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. 



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

 (Morrhua caHarias}, the HADDOCK (Morrhua (zglefinus), a well-known and very valua- 

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

 or KLEG (Morrhua lusca\ 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 colors play over 

 the surface of the fish, but as soon as it is dead the colors 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-gray. 



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

 ceding 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.-Aouno4ffes lancet. 



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 



larne 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. 



