PISCES. 219 
to the cod as an article of food, it is yet very palatable, and sold at a cheap 
rate. They do not attain to the enormous size of the cod, although they 
aré caught off the New England coast, and consumed in great numbers. 
Other American species are M. minuta, or power-cod, M. pruinosa, or 
tom-cod, and others. 
The genus Merlangus, which comes next to Morrhua, is similar to it in 
other respects, but is without the filament on the chin. A prominent 
European species, the Merlangus vulgaris, or whiting, is shown in pl. 85, 
jig. 2. It is, as far as known, not an inhabitant of American waters, its 
place being supplied, among others, by Merlangus carbonarius and M. 
purpurinus, both found abundantly off the coast of New England, where 
they are indifferently called pollack. The genus Merlucius, or hake, has 
two dorsals, the first short, the second very long; a single very long anal, 
and no barbel to the chin. A species, M. albidus, occurs in moderate 
numbers off the coast of New England, and is generally termed whiting. 
The genus Lota, or ling, is an inhabitant of fresh waters, being found of 
several species in the great lakes, and various parts of the New England 
States, as well as north of these. It is characterized by the elongated 
body, swollen belly, two dorsal and one anal fin, and the barbel on the chin. 
The lings, or eel-pouts, are not favorites in the United States, although a 
European species, Lota vulgaris, or burbot, is much esteemed. It is 
represented in pl. 81, fig. 11. The genus Brosmius has but a single dorsal, 
extending the entire length of the back ; a single barbel at the chin. The 
American species, B. flavescens, or cusk, is much esteemed as an article 
of food. The genus Phycis has two dorsals, one short, the posterior very 
long; the ventrals of two long rays united at the base. A single barbel on 
the chin. An American species, Phycis americanus, known as the hake 
or codling, is taken in considerable quantity, as an article of food. Other 
genera, as Macrourus, Motella, which occur in the American seas, are of 
little economical value. 
The family of PLevronectipa, or Pianipa, of some systematic writers, 
exhibits a remarkable anomaly, in having both eyes placed on the same 
side of the head. The body is compressed and broad, with a single dorsal 
extending from the head to the tail. There is no air bladder, and the 
fishes of this family swim at the bottom of the water on one side, which 
is generally white. The occurrence of both eyes in either the right or left 
side may be either accidental or else a constant generic or specific cha- 
racter. Branchiostegous rays six. The genus Platessa has both the 
eyes and the color on the right or left side of the head; the body rhom- 
boidal. A row of teeth in each jaw, and others in the pharyngeals. 
Dorsal fin commencing over the upper eye, and with the anal extending 
nearly the whole length of the body, but not joined to the tail. The genus 
is represented in America by seven or eight species of various character, 
the larger of which, known as flat-fish or flounders, furnish an excellent 
article of food. Platessa flesus, known in England as the flook or fluke, is 
figured in pl. 81, fig. 9. Another European species is P. limanda, or the 
dab. The genus Hippoglossus has a more elongated form, and stronger 
423 
