THE TADPOLE FISH. 35. ( ) 



May among the Juci along the coast. Is rarely taken with 

 the cod-hooks, more frequently at the smaller lines. Some- 

 times taken by the Norwegian fishermen among the Hali- 

 buts. It must have less power of resisting the violence of 

 the sea than its congeners, as it is thrown up dead in incre- 

 dible numbers on the coasts of the Faroe Islands and the 

 south coast of Iceland after a storm. Its flesh is hard, but 

 well flavoured. In Iceland seldom dried, but eaten fresh. 

 Jan Olsen says, that the fresh flesh is badly tasted, but when 

 dried it is the best food. In Norway it is treated like the 

 Stock-fish, but forms no branch of merchandise. The hard 

 roe, according to Pontoppidan, has good flavour. Its ene- 

 mies are the larger species of cod. It is much infested by 

 a worm which form a nidus in its skin, and produces rounded 

 swellings." It is said to grow occasionally to the length of 

 three feet and a half, the average size being about eighteen 

 inches. 



Genus RANICEPS. — Dorsal fins two ; the first scarcely 

 perceptible ; the second long ; one barbule on the chin, none 

 on the snout. 



'Uanicefs trifurcatus.* — The Tadpole-Fish. 



Specific Character. — First two ventral rays much produced. (See 

 Plate XXXVI.) 



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

 Head large and wide, about one third the length of the body, with the 

 crown much flattened and depressed ; anterior part of the body 

 rounded and tumid ; hinder part compressed. Colour of the body 

 dark sooty black ; lips, angle of the mouth, and under the gill-covers, 

 pure white ; second dorsal, caudal, and anal fins, deep black, with the 

 margins of the two former shaded with white. First dorsal fin com- 

 mencing over the base of the pectorals, composed of three small raj r s 



* Raniceps trifurcatus, Yarr., Jen., Flem. Rdniceps Jftffo, Flem. Bar- 

 bus minor, Penn. Batrachoides trifurcatus, Penn. 



