354 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



nearly to the base of the tail ; snout with barbules, one on 

 the chin. 



MoTELLA VULGARIS.* The ThREE-BeARDED RoCKLING. 



Specific Character. — Snout with two barbules, and one on the chin. 



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

 one-fifth of the whole length ; depth of the body much less than the 

 length of the head. Colour of the head, back, and sides, yellowish- 

 brown, marked with a few large, irregular, dusky spots ; pectoral, 

 dorsal, and caudal fins, brown ; belty, ventral, and anal fins, pale 

 dusky-yellow ; irides bright yellow. First dorsal fin, about an inch 

 and a half in length, commencing over the base of the pectorals and 

 terminating in a line over the end of the fourth ray of the same fin ; 

 the first ray much the longest and stoutest, the rest very fine, scarcely 

 perceptible. Second dorsal arising at a short interval from the ter- 

 mination of the first, and ending close to the short lateral rays of the 

 caudal fin ; all the rays nearly of equal height, about half the length 

 of the middle ray of the pectoral fin. Anal commencing in a line 

 under the twelfth or thirteenth ray of the second dorsal, and termi- 

 nating in a line with the last ray of the same fin ; all the rays nearly 

 of equal height, but rather shorter than those of the second dorsal ; 

 caudal fin rounded at the end ; ventrals in advance of the base of the 

 pectorals ; the second ray greatly produced, being as long as the 

 base of the first fifteen rays of the anal ; pectorals rather longer than 

 the caudal, the three or four middle rays of equal length, giving a 

 rounded form to the end of the fin. Gape rather wide ; under jaw 

 the shortest ; maxillary extending back to beneath the posterior mar- 

 gin of the orbit. Teeth numerous, and of irregular length, in both 

 jaws as well as on the front of the vomer ; under jaw the shortest, 

 with a long barbule on the chin, and one on each side of the snout in 

 front of the eyes. Scales of the head and body adherent, small, finely 

 striated, and of an oval form ; lateral line scarcely perceptible. 

 Number of fin rays — 



1st D. 76 ; 2d D. 57 ; P. 23 ; V. 7 ; A. 50 ; C. 20. 



It is distinguished from the common ling and burbot 

 in the first dorsal fin being scarcely perceptible, and in hav- 

 ing a barbule in front of each eye. 



* Motel/a vulgaris, Cuv., Yarr. Motellatricirrata, Jen. Mustela ma- 

 rina, Ray. Gadus mustela, Perm. Gadus tricirratus, Bloch. Sea-Loche 

 Whistle-fish. 



