THE COD FAMILY. 291 



The filament of the first dorsal was long. The ventrals were 

 still elongated, though proportionally shorter than in the early 

 stages. They appear to be about |th the length of the body, 

 and with black pigment at the tip. 



One at 30 mm. in August had so far altered its habit as 

 to have been found amongst muddy sand during a search for 

 littoral annelids at Lochmaddy. Its more sober hue, deeper 

 body, larger fins and less attenuated form at once distinguished 

 it from the preceding stage. The dorsum was of a dull green 

 dotted with black — merging inferiorly into the silvery lustre of 

 the sides, though towards the tail the dull green again pre- 

 dominated. The cheeks behind the eyes were silvery dotted 

 with black, the black specks, indeed, occurring over the entire 

 body with the exception of the anterior part of the abdomen, 

 which was silvery with a bluish-green iridescence. The irides 

 were greenish-blue. In spirit the colour of the dorsum became 

 russet-brown, and a faint brownish hue appeared on the sides. 

 The pectoral fins were kept in rapid vibration, and the first 

 dorsal had the usual active ciliary motion. The first ray of 

 the latter had a probe-point. The head had now assumed its 

 characteristic proportions. The barbels were longer. The ventral 

 fins were still long, while the tactile extremities of the four 

 anterior rays, especially the first and the long second (both 

 being separate at the tip), were better developed, probably in 

 connection with the change of habit. 



A series of pelagic specimens captured between the 6th 

 and 27th of October, show that in this species the dark dorsum 

 and silvery sides are characters pertaining to pelagic life, and, 

 moreover, that some pursue this habit longer than others, or 

 at least attain a considerably larger size before assuming the 

 condition just noted in that of 30 mm. from Lochmaddy. 



The smallest of these range from 9'o to 19 mm., but though 

 they appear to agree with this species in pelagic dress, yet there 

 may be a doubt. Not so with one of 25 mm. on the same date 

 and in the same locality, viz., October 9th in the Moray Frith. 

 The dark bluish-green dorsum and the silvery sides are as in 

 the other species, but the depth in front of the tail, and the 

 small labial barbels — together with the condition of the first 



19—2 



