GADID^. 321 



Fms—ihe first dorsal, which is situated over the base of the pectoral, is small and 

 low : just behind it commences the second dorsal, which is highest in its second 

 third and not joined posteriorly to the caudal. Ventral inserted on the throat 

 some distance anterior to the base of the pectoral. Anal commences beneath the 

 ninth or tenth dorsal ray. Caudal rounded. Scales — minute. Lateral-line — 

 most distinct in the anterior portion of the body, where in some examples a row 

 of light coloured tubercles exist, or else between the lateral-line and the pectoral 

 fin. The stomach has much the shape figured as pertaining to Oadus virens, plate 

 Ixxxiv, with two very short coecal appendages as seen in the figure of Pluronectes 

 limanda. Air-hladder — large, transversely constricted slightly behind the middle 

 and dividing anteriorly into two horn-like prolongations. Colour — brown tinged 

 with lilac, becoming of a dirty white beneath, where it is alsO very faintly coloured 

 with lilac : lips white : fins nearly black, the outer edge of the dorsal anal and 

 upper third of the caudal white. Ventrals paler than the other fins. 



Varieties. — Johnston observed that its body when only recently dead was 

 everywhere smooth, after laying three days on a plate it became shrivelled, and 

 an obscure row of tubercles were seen, passing backwards from the pectoral fins, 

 and these form the only good distinction between B. trifiireatus and B. jago of 

 Fleming, in the first the lateral-line being said to be taberculated, but in the 

 latter smooth. 



Names. — Tommy noddy, Cornwall. Paddock, Scotch. 



Habits. — -Apparently solitary, and probably a wanderer. Couch remarked 

 that he had known it taken in August, early in September, in January, and in 

 April. Mr. Waud took it in Essex in May, and one at Kirkwall in June. 



Ogilby observes (Zool. 1876, p. 4903) that "the curious fact of this fish 

 being generally washed ashore dead, would seem to prove that it lives at the 

 bottom in very deep water where neither nets nor lines can be used, and where 

 it is perhaps not so rare as is supposed." Remains of echini have been found 

 in their stomachs : as have likewise small insects and soft marine animals, also 

 fish scales believed to have belonged to a sprat. 



Means of capture. — In Dublin Bay is generally taken on spitted lines set near 

 the rocks for cod and whiting : in Cornwall mostly in crab-pots. 



Baits. — Thompson's fish was taken on the wreck of a ship by a whiting-line, 

 the hook baited with a lug worm, Arenicola piscatoruin, for whiting-pout. 



Breeding. — April (Pamell), July (R. Couch). In Mr. Thompson's fish taken 

 October 8th, the " ova were contained in two small lobes, each about an inch 

 in length." Mr. Gatty obtained a young example from Great Yarmouth, and 

 Newman several of a small size from among some sprats. Mr. Dunn has taken 

 very small ones from the stomachs of other fishes. 



As food. — Its extremely unpleasant smell when fresh prevents its being used 

 for this purpose. 



Habitat. — Coasts of northern Europe, extending to the south coast of the 

 British Isles. Is very rarely taken on the Atlantic shores of France. 



June 24th, 1876, one, 8 inches long, was found at Kirkwall, Orkneys, in a 

 dying condition off the pier head (J. Bruce, Zool. p. 5049). Several known to 

 have been found off Banffshire (Edward) : Aberdeen (Sim) : Firth of Forth 

 (W. Thompson) : St. Andrew's (Mcintosh) : Berwickshire and Northumberland 

 and west of Scotland (Johnston) . It has been taken twice at Bedcar (Yorkshire 

 Vertebrata) : Mr. Plowright records it from the Norfolk estuary, a few off Cromer 

 (Gurney), and Sherringham, January 29th, 1846 (Rev. S. Dowell) : an example 

 was taken in Norfolk in February, 1843 (Gurney, Zool. 1844, p. 532) : one at 

 Sherringham on rock-cod lines in 1846 (H. Frere, Zool. p. 1264) : another 

 4J- inches long in the river Crouch in Essex, in May, 1858 (S. W. Waud) : 

 Newman in the Zoologist, in 1855, stated that he had observed among the sprats 

 brought to Billingsgate market an occasional specimen of this fish. On October 8th, 

 1853, one 9^ inches in length was taken at Weymouth (W. Thompson). I saw 

 a local example in Mr. Rowe's collection at Plymouth, and on September 3rd, 

 1881, Mr. Dunn sent me one from Mevagissey. April 17th, 1863, Mr. Cornish 

 reported in the Zoologist (p. 8642) one from Mount's Bay, in 1864 three more 



