390 APPENDIX. 



■ the others obsolete ; caudal fin slightly lunate ; vent 



beneath the middle of the first dorsal fin ; anterior 



portion of the lateral line abruptly curved^ the hinder 



straight. 



Dorsal 12, 21, 17 ; anal 30, 18 ; pectoral 14 ; ventral 5. 



Inhabits Sicily. 



The general form and appearance of this fish closely resembles the Gadus 

 lusca of our own coasts, but the first anal fin is not advanced so much to- 

 wards the head, and it commences immediately behind the vent, so that 

 both maybe said to be on a line with the middle of the first dorsal fin ; there 

 is no spot whatever at the base of the pectoral; the two anal fins are very 

 little in advance of the two hinder dorsals ; the three hinder ventral rays 

 of these fins are almost imperceptible, and indeed, in some specimens, they 

 seem altogether obsolete; the first dorsal fin commences rather before the 

 base of the pectoral — not a little behind it, as in G. lusca ; on the upper 

 jaw, which is very slightly longer than the under, are six minute punc- 

 tures ; and beneath the lower jaw are nine others ; teeth* small, sharp, 

 and distinct, placed in a single row ; gill-membrane 7-rayed ; the ven- 

 tral fins are so thick that I found it impossible to make out whether 

 the two first rays were united towards their base, or distinct. Colour. — 

 Irides silvery, upper parts light drab or Isabella, lower silvery white ; the 

 fins are all very thick and fleshy, particularly the caudal and ventrals ; the 

 cirrus beneath'the lower jaw is only half the length of the pectorals. The 

 specimens examined did not exceed seven inches. The lateral line, after 

 it ascends abruptly, takes an undulated direction to the nape ; the ventrals 

 are considerably in advance of the pectorals, and are rather longer. 



MERLUCIUS sinuatus (fig. IS. Vol. I.) 



The second dorsal and the anal long, of equal length, 

 and sinuated or narrowed in the middle. 



Dorsal 10, 38 ; pectoral 12 ; ventral 7 ; anal 38 ; caudal 20. 



Common on the Sicilian coast in the spring. 



This is a most voracious fish, and, I suspect, grows to a much 

 larger size than the small ones that came under my observation. 

 In the stomach of one only six inches long, were two entire 

 blennies, each measuring an inch and a half. This is probably the 

 species known to Rondeletius, and the older writers, which the 

 moderns have supposed to be the common hake of our north- 

 ern seas ; at least I never saw this latter in the Mediterranean. 



Head bony, the sides compressed, the crown depressed, exactly one fifth 

 the entire length of the fish ; gill-membrane 7-rayed ; mouth large ; lips 

 not fleshy ; each jaw with two rows of sharp, long, incurved, and distinct 

 teeth ; the first row short, while those in.the palate are small and in a single 

 row ; tongue^short, obtuse, and smooth ; lateral line commencing at the 

 nape with four small tubercles, gradually curving downwards until it 

 reaches the middle of the body, where it becomes straight towards the half 

 of the length ; eyes large ; caudal fin slightly lunated ; ventral fin rounded, 



. * The G. lusca, according to Mr. Yarrell, has several rows of teeth in the 

 upper jaw, but only one in the lower. Brit. Fishes, vol. ii. p. 160. 



