cod-fishes. 539 



Second Family — Gadid^e. 



Body more or less elongate, covered with small smooth scales. 

 One, two, or three dorsal fins, occupying nearly the whole of the 

 hack ; rays of the posterior dorsal well developed ; one or two 

 anal fins. Caudal free from dorsal and anal, or, if they are 

 united, the dorsal with a separate anterior portion. Ventrals 

 jugular, composed of several rays, or, if they are reduced to a 

 filament, the dorsal is divided into two. Oill-opening wide ; 

 the gill-membranes generally not attached to the isthmus. 

 Pseudohranchim none, or glandular, rudimentary. An air- 

 Madder and pyloric appendages generally present. 



The family of " Cod-fislies " consists partly of littoral and 

 surface species (and they form the majority), partly of deep- 

 sea forms. The former are almost entirely confined to the 

 temperate zones, extending beyond the Arctic Circle; the 

 latter have, as deep-sea fishes generally, a much wider range, 

 and hitherto have- been found chiefly at considerable depths 

 of rather low latitudes. Only two or three species inhabit 

 fresh waters. They form one of the most important articles 

 of food and subsistence to the fishermen in Europe and North 

 America, and to whole tribes bordering upon the Arctic 

 Ocean. 



Fossil remains are scarce. Nemopteryx and Palceogadus 

 have been described from the schists of Glaris, a formation 

 believed to have been the bottom of a very deep sea. In the 

 clay of Sheppey species occur allied to Gadus, Merluccius, and 

 Phycis ; others, not readily determinable, have been found at 

 Licata in Sicily (Miocene). 



Gadus. — Body moderately elongate, covered with small 

 scales. A separate caudal, three dorsal, and two anal fins ; 

 ventrals narrow, composed of six or more rays. Teeth in the 

 upper jaw in a narrow band ; vomerine teeth ; none on the pala- 

 tines. 



