286 NEW-YOEK FAUNA. 



GENUS MERLANGUS. Cuvicr. 

 Three dorsals and two anals. No barbels to the chin. 



THE NEW- YORK POLLACK. 



Merlangus pcrphreos. 



PLATE XLV. FIG. 147. 



The Neu'-York Pollack, Gadus purpurcus. MiTCHiLL, Lit. and Phil. Sac. N. Y. Vol. 1, p. 370. 

 Merlangta purpureus, The Pollack. Storee, Report on ihe Fishes of Massacliusetts, p. 130. 



Characteristics. Caudal fin deeply concave. The third dorsal fin of twenty rays. Lateral 

 line black. Length eighteen inches to three feet. 



Description. Body oblong, cylindrical, subcompressed. Scales small, with concentric and 

 radiating striae, and extending over the head and opercles ; the exposed surface very small on 

 the head, and resembling shagreen. Lateral line curved, but not concurrent with the dorsal 

 outline. Eyes large ; nearer the end of the snout than to the posterior edge of the opercle. 

 Nostrils double, oval, contiguous, nearly vertical ; the posterior largest. Mouth moderate ; 

 the lower jaw longest. A series of small acute teeth in each jaw. No free interval in the 

 centre of the upper jaw. Asperities on the vomer ; very minute teeth on the pharyngeals. 

 The anterior branchial arch pectinated ; the others tubercular. 



The first dorsal subtriangular, longer than high, equidistant between the tip of the snout 

 and the nineteenth ray of the second dorsal ; its base covered with minute scales ; the first 

 four rays simple, the first very short, the others successively longer ; the fifth and sixth 

 longest, subcqual ; the remainder suddenly shorter. The second dorsal long and triangular, 

 arising 0"4 behind the first ; its first three rays simple, the first ray 0'7 long, the fourth and 

 fifth longest, thence gradually diminishing to its termination a little anterior to the end of the 

 first anal. At an interval of 0'6 comes the long third dorsal, terminating above the end of 

 the second anal. The pectorals broad, extending to the tenth ray of the first dorsal. Centrals 

 feeble, before the pectorals ; the first ray longest, and, with the second, filiform at the tips. 

 The first anal fin long and low, commencing at a point equidistant between the point of the 

 jaw and the end of the second anal ; its first two rays short and simple ; the seventh and 

 eighth longest, subcqual. The second anal subquadrate, with its first two rays short and 

 simple. Caudal dilated by numerous accessory rays. 



Liver with two long triquetrous lobes, enlarged in front, and almost embracing the gall- 

 bladder. Intestines with six convolutions. Stomach an angular sac, with numerous minute 

 cajca ; it is corrugated internally, and filled with a yi^ow glairy fluid. Air-bladder eight 

 inches long, cylindrical, and extending from near the pharynx to a point behind the end of the 

 second dorsal, where it is supported by bony rings or processes of the vertebrse. Anteriorly 



