278 SALT-WATER FISHES 



" haddock " much happier, since the fish is much more like 

 a perch. 



There are spines on the gill-covers, scales over the head 

 and body, and teeth on the jaws and vomer, but not on the 

 tongue. 



Though the adult is a deep-water fish, the embryos swim 

 close to the surface. When first born they measure from 

 3 to 5 mm., or roughly \ in. 



From all accounts the bergylt is not a desirable table- 

 fish. Holt, however, tasted some trawled on the Iceland 

 grounds, and compares their flavour to that of sea-bream. 



The allied S. dactylopterus, which has been confused with 

 S. norvegicus, may also be included among British fishes on 

 the strength of one that was washed ashore in 1893 on the 

 Yorkshire coast. It has larger scales than the commoner 

 species, and its gill-covers open vertically instead of obliquely. 

 It now appears that examples of this species had been captured 

 off the Irish coast as early as 1843, but were invariably referred 

 to the commoner species. 



Beryx decadactylus has not yet been found on our coasts, 

 though there is presumptive evidence of its occurrence there ; 

 but a single example of a near relative, Hoplostethus mediter- 

 raneum, a fish with a very large eye and serrated edge to the 

 belly, was taken by ' Green in 250 fathoms off the south- 

 west coast of Ireland in 1889. 



The Angler-fish (^Lophius piscatorius) is one of the least 

 uncommon fishes named in the present chapter, but it is 

 sufficiently isolated in both habits and appearance to be most 

 conveniently dealt with here. This remarkable-looking fish 

 seems generally distributed on our coasts, though nowhere 

 very common, and the same may perhaps be said of 

 its occurrence on the other coasts of Europe and at the 



