Fishes. 4099 



almost close to the base of the caudal rays : it is nearly half an inch 

 broad, and equal throughout its length ; the tips of the rays are free, 

 and much deeper than the fin. The anal fin commences behind the 

 vent, and about 4j inches from the snout, and ends in a direct line 

 with the posterior margin of the dorsal, and, like those of the dorsal, 

 the rays are produced beyond the membrane of the fin, and end in 

 free points. The caudal is wedge-shaped, and not wide : the extre- 

 mity is rounded. The pectorals are not very wide, rather wedge- 

 shaped, of moderate length, and the rays have the same free character 

 as those in the dorsal and anal fins. The ventrals are small : the two 

 anterior rays are free and detached ; the first ray measures 1 inch, and 

 the second 1 J inch : both these free rays are white. The base of the 

 dorsal, for some little distance up the fin, is covered with scales. 



The branchiae are four in number ; the branchial rays are five : the 

 branchial opening is very large. I could not detect the lateral line. 

 I noticed particularly the tubercles above the pectoral fins ; they are 

 ten in number, and placed in a row. They appear to me to be quite 

 independent of the skin, and, in fact, to be the heads of detached 

 bones imbedded in the muscles of the body. When the fish was quite 

 fresh and moist, these tubercles were not discernable ; as it became 

 dry and the skin tightened, the tubercles became apparent both to 

 sight and touch ; and on my thoroughly moistening the fish, they 

 again disappeared. 



The colour of the fish is a very dark brown ; the fins darker still, 

 with the exception of the two long rays of the pectorals, which are 

 white. The scales are small, and easily detached, when the skin ap- 

 pears white underneath. The belly and under part, from the snout 

 to the vent, is of a paler brown. 



The ova were contained in two small lobes, each about an inch in 

 length, and the same in circumference in the largest portion ; that end 

 which was nearest the tail very sharp and lengthened out. The sto- 

 mach was very large and quite empty: the swimming-bladder exceed- 

 ingly large, as in all the Gadidae. 



This fish was caught on the 8th of October, 1853, at a spot in 

 Weymouth Bay, about five miles from shore, on the Wreck of the 

 Abergavenny. It was caught on a whiting-line : the hook was baited 

 with a lug-worm [Arenicola piscatorum) for whiting pout. No doubt 

 this fish is equally ravenous with the rest of the cod family. From 

 being badly hooked, I could not keep it alive, and I was thus disap- 

 pointed of sending it to the Zoological Society's vivarium, for which 

 it was obtained. 



