OCCUEEENCE OF MOEEHUA MACEOCEPHALA. G91 



show an arched back or ''a curiously grotesque aiipearance," the 

 fish being apparently well formed. But, putting aside that 

 specimen, I would remark upon my present example obtained 

 from the same locality. 



Length of head rather exceediug one third of the total length. 

 Height of body nearly two thirds of the length of the head. Eyes 

 large, diameter one fourth of the length of the head, IJ- diameter 

 from the end of the snout and one transverse diameter apart. 

 The maxilla reaches to beneath the middle of the orbit ; its length 

 is a half of that of the head. Body in good condition. Fins : the 

 origin of the first dorsal is midway between the end of the snout 

 and the posterior end of the base of the last dorsal fin, it is 

 rather elevated and pointed ; the middle dorsal fin rather low ; 

 the third dorsal fin similar to the first. Second ventral ray rather 

 prolonged. Pectoral reaches to above the vent, the latter being 

 beneath the fiirst ray of the second dorsal fin. Lateral line curved 

 to below the middle of the second dorsal fin. 



Having as yet this single example, I have been unwilling to 

 sacrifice it in order to examine the spine, which I would not 

 hesitate doing did I possess a second specimen, I would suggest 

 the following reasons why this fish cannot be a deformed Morrhua 

 vulgaris occasioned by spinal disease. 



If the difierences were entirely caused by disease of the spine 

 posterior to the head, it is to be supposed that the head itself 

 would remain unalfected ; but here it is not so ; and in comparing 

 it with an example of the Common Cod of the same length, and 

 captured at the same time, I find as follows : — 



Morrhua vulgaris. Eye ^ of head ; upper jaw f of length of 

 head ; vent midway between end of snout and base of caudal fin. 



Morrhua macrocepliala. Eye | of head ; upper jaw \ of length 

 of head ; vent midway ^tween end of snout and beyond end of 

 caudal fin. 



The proportions as regards the eye and upper jaw do not appear 

 to have been recorded in the examples from Scotland. 



It will be seen that the vent is directly below the commencement 

 of the second dorsal fin, exactly as in Morrhua vulgaris ; conse- 

 quently if this example is merely a deformed specimen, such would 

 lead us to expect that the deformity would be posterior to the vent. 

 But the first dorsal fin, which is anterior to it, has only 11 instead 

 of 14 rays, and is much more angular than in the Common Cod. 



This fish, I suppose, may be Gadics punctaiiis, Turton, of which 



52* 



