ZgO THE yive-bearhio cod« 



Tie Fhe-Bearded Cod *, 



1 HE colour of this is a deep olive brown ; In its fiiape 

 and flimy covering it fomewhat refembles the eel ; it is, 

 however, much fhorter and thicker, ei'pecially towards the 

 belly : There are two difFerent fpecies, the one with five 

 beards, and the other uniforn.ly with three j the former 

 has four upon the upper jaw the latter only two. From 

 the extremity of the lower jaw in both, there hangs a 

 beard : The fcales of both kinds are extremely minute ; 

 each has the fame number of fins, and in the fame pofi* 

 tion ; they are diftinguifhed by the Ihape of the two dor- 

 fal fins f the firfl rifes a llrtle way behind the head, where 

 it is lodged in a deep furrow, and confifts of a number of 

 ihort unconnected rays, or filaments ; behind this furrow, in 

 the middle of the back, rifes the fecond dorfal fin, ccnfi" 

 derably higher than the firft, and extending almofl to the 

 tail, which is rounded at the extiemiry j this fin is fup- 

 ported by fifty-fix rays, and the anal one, oppofite to it, 

 hy forty-feven. This fpecies grows to the length of 

 nineteen inches, and weighs upwards of two pounds. 



The three-bearded cod is nearly of the fame fize with 

 the other, of which IVilloughby reckons it only a varie- 

 ty ; it is, however, eafily dillinguilliable, by having the 

 upper part of the body variegated by a number of black 

 fpots upon a reddiih ground. The Comljlo fiihermen 



have 



* Muftck -yTilgaris, Rond. Sea-JLoach, Will. 



