THE THREE-BEARDED ROCKLING. 355 



This is not an uncommon fish along the Devonshire and 

 Cornish coasts, where it is found to frequent rocky and 

 weedy localities. It has been taken on the west of Scot- 

 land, and in Belfast Bay on the coast of Ireland, but is by 

 no means of common occurrence towards the north. It is 

 rare in the Firth of Forth, as well as along the whole of 

 the eastern shores of Scotland. Its flesh is seldom made use 

 of as food. It sheds its spawn in January and February,, 

 and feeds principally on crustaceous animals. 



MoTELLA QUINQUECIRRATA.* THE FlVE-BEARDED 



RoCKLING. 



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

 chin. 



Description. — From a specimen ten inches in length. Head one- 

 sixth of the whole length, caudal excluded ; depth of the body un- 

 der the pectorals greater than the length of the head. Colour of the 

 head, back, and sides, dark brown ; belly and ventrals dirty white ; 

 pectorals, dorsal, anal, and caudal, dusky brown ; irides yellowish. 

 First dorsal fin very inconspicuous, commencing a little anterior to 

 the base of the pectorals, and terminating in a line over the end of 

 the pectoral ray ; the first ray about three times as long as the suc- 

 ceeding ones, and about one-third the length of the base of the fin ; 

 the rays when folded down become lodged in a sulcus behind the 

 nape. Second dorsal commencing at a short distance from the last, 

 and running down the back to within a short interval of the small 

 lateral caudal rays ; all the rays nearly of equal height, as long as 

 the base of the first seven rays of the anal ; caudal rounded at the 

 end ; pectorals of a similar shape, but rather smaller. Anal com- 

 mencing in a line under the eleventh raj' of the second dorsal, and 

 terminating on a plane with the last ray of the same fin ; all the rays 

 nearly of equal height, rather less than those of the second dorsal ; 

 ventrals in advance of the pectorals ; the second ray much produced, 

 as long as the middle ray of the caudal. Under jaw the shortest ; 

 maxillary extending back to beneath the posterior margin of the or- 

 bit. Teeth small and blunt, nearly all of equal height, placed in 

 three or four rows in each jaw, as well as on the anterior part of the 

 vomer ; snout furnished with four barbules, and one on the chin ; 



* Motella quinquecirrata, Cuv., Y/arr. Molella mustcla, Jen. Gadus 

 mustela, Linn., Penn. 



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