340 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



which is supposed to have been the haddock ; but, unfortu- 

 nately for the legend, in the sea where that miracle was 

 performed the haddock does not exist. 



MoRRHUA LUSCA.* TllE BlB. 



Specific Characters. — A dusky spot at the base of each pectoral 

 fin ; first anal fin commencing under the middle of the first dorsal ; 

 scales larger. 



Description. — From a specimen sixteen inches in length. Head 

 one-fourth of the whole length, excluding the caudal fin ; depth of 

 the body compared to the whole length, caudal included, as one to 

 three and a half. Colour of the back dusky brown, inclining to yel- 

 low towards the sides ; belly dirty white ; all the fins dusky, becom- 

 ing lighter at the base ; caudal fin margined with black ; a dusky 

 spot at the upper part of the base of each pectoral ; lateral line about 

 the same shade as the body ; first and second rays of the ventrals 

 whitish ; eyes opaque. First dorsal fin commencing over the base 

 of the pectorals, and reaching when folded down to the base of the 

 fourth ray of the second dorsal, the first and second rays simple, the 

 rest branched, the third the longest, the remainder rapidly decreas- 

 ing in height, the sixth as long as the base of the fin, the last very 

 small, scarcely perceptible. Second dorsal commencing at a short 

 distance from the termination of the first; the two first rays simple, 

 the fifth the longest, less than half the length of the base of the fin' 

 the succeeding ones gradually decreasing, the last very short and fine! 

 Third dorsal fin commencing immediately behind the second, the 

 fifth ray the longest, the eighth half as long as the base of the fin, the 

 last scarcely perceptible ; caudal fin even at the end ; ventral fins 

 rather small, placed a little before the base of the pectorals, the first 

 two rays very much produced, the second rather the longest reach- 

 ing to the fourth ray of the anal ; pectorals when expanded some- 

 what of an oval form, the fourth ray the longest, equalling the length 

 of the first dorsal fin, all the rays branched except the first ; the 

 twelfth ray half the length of the third. First anal fin commencing in a 

 line under the middle of the first dorsal, and terminating under the first 

 ray of the third dorsal, the first ray very small, the succeeding ones 

 gradually increasing to about the fifteenth, the remainder gradually 

 decreasing, the last three rather more suddenly, the middle ray about 



* Morrhua lusca, Yarr. Gadus luscus, Jen., Penn., Flem., Linn. Bib, 

 Pout, Whiting Pout, Blinds, Brassy. 



