GADID^E. 287 



Morh.ua barbata, Fleming, Brit. Anim. p. 191. 



Gadus colias, Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 131. 



Gadulus luscus, Malm, p. 482. 



Bib, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, iii, p. 70, pi. cxxxviii. 



B. vii, 12/20-23/19-20, P. 17, V. 6, A. 27-32/17-20, C. 25, Vert. 48. 



Length of head 4| to 4|, of caudal fin 65, height of body 3| to 4 in the total 

 length. Eye — diameters 3 to 3|- in the length of the head, 1 diameter from the 

 end of the snout, and 1 to lj diameters apart. Snout obtuse, scarcely overhanging 

 the jaws, the upper of which is slightly the longer. The posterior extremity of the 

 maxilla reaches to beneath the middle of the eye. A barbel as long as the eye is 

 present below'the chin. Teeth — cardiform in the jaws with an outer enlarged 

 row in the upper. Fins — first dorsal fin elevated, it arises over the base of the 

 pectoral, its second or third rays longest, and equalling two-thirds the height of 

 the body beneath it, its last rays short : and no interspace between it and the 

 second dorsal fin, the second and third rays of which exceed in height twice the 

 length of the base of the fin which is connected at its base with the third dorsal, 

 which does not extend to the base of the caudal fin. The first anal fin com- 

 mences beneath the middle or posterior third of the first dorsal, and terminates 

 opposite the end of the second dorsal : the second anal fin similar to the third 

 dorsal. The ventral is inserted on the throat some little distance anterior to the 

 base of the pectoral, which latter fin is as long as the head excluding the snout. 

 Caudal square at its extremity or slightly emarginate. Vent situated beneath 

 the anterior portion of the first dorsal fin. Gcecal appendages numerous. Scales 

 — small. Lateral-line — curves very gently to below the last half of the second 

 dorsal, from whence it proceeds straight to the centre of the base of the caudal 

 fin. Colours — of a beautiful bronze during life, with five or six broad vertical 

 bands of rather darker colour descending from the back to the lower surface, 

 meeting those from the opposite side. A black spot at the base of the pectoral fin. 

 Fins bluish-black, dai'kest at their outer edges. 



It has been observed respecting the ribs of this fish that they are well 

 developed and firmly attached to the parapophyses of the vertebrae, while from 

 the sixteenth of the latter they commence to join the ribs from the other side, 

 thus enclosing the posterior portion of the abdominal cavity with a series of 

 complete rings. 



Varieties. — The origin of Gadus luscus and G. barbatus rests, as pointed out by 

 Jenyns, on an error of Ray, who was Willughby's editor. The latter author 

 desci-ibed the bib or blinds of Cornwall as Asellus luscus. After the body of the 

 work had been printed, Martin Lister sent to Ray a whiting pout from the London 

 market. Not suspecting the two fish belonged to one species he inserted the 

 latter in the appendix, and also gave the two as distinct in his Synopsis Piscium 

 — errors perpetuated by subsequent authors. 



Names. — Bib, pout, whiting-pout, blens or blinds in Cornwall, these last names 

 are doubtless due to a sort of loose bag capable of inflation existing in front of 

 the eye, and formed by an outer layer passing from the cheeks over the eye, and 

 a second layer over the eye-ball, thus forming a sac-like cavity, well designated 

 by the local words bleb or blain, terms for a bubble in the water, or a blister. 

 After death this loose membrane, which fishermen assert it can blow up at pleasure, 

 may become opaque. For the same cause it is perhaps termed lug, or "a leaf," at 

 Penzance and St. Ives ; bothock, or " large eyes." Said to be known at Scar- 

 borough by fishdealers as " John Doree " (see page 140) ; at Whitby as " old 

 wife " (see page 255) (Yorkshire Vertebrata) : also Meg at Scarborough : siller- 

 fish and Jaehie-downies, Moray Firth: smeltie, Zetland; also brassie, in Scotland. 

 •It is likewise said to be "Miller's thumb " (see Cottus gobio, p. 48) or deillion at 

 Carnarvon (Fleming). Also bragay and stink-alive (Buckland). Be steenbolk, 

 Dutch. Be gade tacaud, French. 



Habits. — It adheres pertinaciously to one spot, according to Mr. Dunn, who 

 observes that it is largest and in the best condition when residing among rocks 

 upon precipitous coasts as Cornwall. Here it seeks a secluded crevice or gully 

 where it conceals itself during the day time, sometimes thousands seeking the 



