250 THE COD FAMILY. 



Collett found them 40 — 50 mm. long in Christiania Fjord on 

 the 14th of June. 



At 39 mm. the chief changes in the young haddock are a 

 diminution of the proportional length of the ventral fins, the 

 acutely-pointed condition of the first dorsal fin, the increase in 

 the silvery hue of the sides, and the development of the scales. 

 The area of finely dotted pigment above the pectoral is more 

 densely covered. In contrast with a whiting of the same length 

 it is a much stouter fish, the head and eye are larger, the belly 

 more capacious, and though in both the tips of the pelvics 

 (long second rays) project beyond the vent, yet the length and 

 strength of the haddock's fins are characteristic, and they also 

 retain their pigment. Parasitic Caligi further seem to be 

 partial to this species. The long, sharp, recurved teeth of the 

 whiting are more prominent than those of the haddock. The 

 vent of the former is considerably in front of that of the latter, 

 and the first anal fin is fully developed. There is little chance of 

 confusion with the young cod of similar length, since, before it 

 reaches this size, its sides are beautifully dappled, its mouth 

 larger, the barbel much longer, the ventral fins do not reach the 

 vent, and the body of the fish is less compact, while the head has 

 a different outline. No black pigment occurs on the rays of 

 the pectoral or pelvic (ventral) fins. The dusky hue of the 

 green cod and pollack, both of which show the median line of 

 black pigment along the centre of the body posteriorly, readily 

 separates them. Both lean to the cod in regard to the propor- 

 tions of the pectoral and the ventral fins. 



The little fish grows rapidly, and at 53 mm. (about two 

 inches and a quarter), the dark mark behind the shoulder — so 

 characteristic of the species — is readily seen with the unaided 

 eye. The cupreous lustre appears to bring out the pigment, 

 since the condition is just as in the smaller forms, viz. a closer 

 arrangement of minute black pigment-specks. The pectoral 

 fins have a yellowish-brown hue with black specks on both sides 

 as before. The ventrals are pale, but they still have black 

 chromatophores an-anged in a linear manner in the centre. 

 The head and body are minutely and uniformly dotted with 

 black, while the brain is reddish. The eyes are large and 



