1894.] TBIiEOSTEAN MOEPHOLOGT. 415 



which separate the species may ultimately prove of less than 

 specific value, I do not feel justified, in the face of the opinion of 

 so accurate an observer as Lilljeborg, in including M. elongata in 

 my synonymy. I have never had the opportunity of examining 

 an example of this form, and am acquainted with no description of 

 its anatomy. 



Distribution. 



The species is known to occur along the whole of the western 

 coast of Scandinavia and in the Cattegat, but does not seem to 

 have been observed elsewhere. It is a deep-water fish, abundant 

 between 100 and 300 fathoms in that region '. Of the examples 

 before me, seven in number, two came from the neighbourhood of 

 Ingolfs Hofde Huk, on the south coast of Iceland, in the summer 

 of 1892. One of these was taken on a long-line, in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of the 100-fathom hne, in company with another 

 example, which did not come into my hands. The other was 

 trawled, at a depth which certainly could not have greatly exceeded 

 40 fathoms, and may very probably have been considerably less. 

 I am indebted for these two specimens to the courtesy of Messrs. 

 W. Hoole aud F. Barrett respectively. My other five examples I 

 bought in the Grimsby Fish-market in December 1893, and ascei-- 

 tained that they had all been taken in one shot of the long-lines 

 at about 160 fathoms, 28 miles N.W. of Fugaelo, Faroe Islands. 



From the information of fishermen it appears that specimens 

 are taken from time to time on the Faroe " Bank," but are 

 sufficiently rare to be unkno\i'n to many who regularly work that 

 region. I could hear of no previous instance of the fish having 

 been taken ofE the coast of Iceland. 



The Birkelauge is one of those forms which our fishermen 

 regard as hybrids, the imputed parents being the Hake (Merluccius 

 vulgaris) and the Common Ling (Molva ahyssorum), whilst taint 

 of Conger blood is sometimes suggested. 



The fish appears to be used as food in Norway, but, according 

 to Mr. Hoole, who made culinary experiment of one which fell 

 into his hands, it is very rank, and the tlesh of one which I had 

 removed for osteological purposes failed to commend itself to the 

 not very delicate palate of a seal. Smitt, however (op cit. p. 524), 

 remarks that the fish is more esteemed, when fresh, than the 

 Common Ling, so that tastes would appear to differ. The Scandi- 

 navian vei'uacular name, which means " Trade Ling," is cited as 

 testifying to the commercial value of the species. 



Diagnosis of Swedes. 



Head and body elongate, covered v\ith minute imbricating s(ales. 

 The lenu;th of the head contained about five times in the toial 

 length without the caudal fin, and much greater than the height 



^ Also at 35 and 80 fathoms (Smitt). 



