THE TORSK. 357 



occurrence at Brixham, on the coast of Devon, in rocky 

 situations under stones and sea-weed. In the Firth of 

 Forth, about the month of July, this fish is frequently 

 taken with the hook and brought to market, when it is sold 

 in company with young cod, whiting, and podleys; al- 

 together they are said to make a very palatable fry. The 

 Five-Bearded Rockling inhabits hard sandy coasts, as well 

 as rocky places, and feeds on small shells and Crustacea. It 

 spawns in January and February, and the young are seen 

 about two inches in length in July. 



Genus BROSMIUS. — Dorsal fin one, extending the 

 whole length of the back ; one barbule on the chin. 



Brosmius vulgaris.* — The Torsk. 



Specific Characters. — Ventral fins fleshy ; caudal margined with 

 white. 



Description. — From a specimen twenty inches and a half in length. 

 ce The greatest breadth at the end of the pectorals, four inches and a 

 half; at the vent four inches; something more than half-way from 

 the vent to the tail, two inches ; at the tail, one inch and a quarter. 

 The length of the head four inches ; from the point of the nose to 

 the commencement of the dorsal fin six inches. Length of the dor- 

 sal fin thirteen inches ; from the point of the lower jaw to the vent 

 eleven inches. Length of the anal fin eight inches; tail something 

 more than two inches. The head small in proportion to the fish, 

 with a single barbule upon the chin ; upper jaw a very little longer 

 than the lower ; in the jaws there are great numbers of very small 

 teeth, and in the roof of the mouth a rough or toothed bone, much 

 in the shape of a horse-shoe ; a pretty broad furrow runs from the 

 nape to the commencement of the dorsal fin, which runs the whole 

 length of the back to within about an inch of the tail ; the tail is 

 rounded ; the anal fin begins at the vent and ends at the tail ; but is 

 not joined with it ; the rays of the dorsal and anal fins are numerous, 

 but the softness of these and the thickness of the investing skin, 

 hinder them from being counted with exactness ; the edges of the 

 dorsal, anal, and tail, arc white, the rest dusky; the pectoral fins 



* Brosmius vulgaris, Yarr.,Cuv. (Indus brosme, Pcnn., Hon. 



