64 



Part III. — Twenty -fourth Annual Report 



long had very massive otoliths ; they measured about 13 5mm. in length 

 by 6'5mm. at the deepest part (these are represented by fig. 24). Those 

 of a somewhat smaller fish were equally massive but rather shorter, 

 measuring about 12-2mm. by 6mm. A number of other specimens of the 

 same species have been examined, and measurements of six of them with 

 the corresponding sizes of their earstones are given in the Table annexed. 



Figure on the 

 Plate. 



Length of the Fish. 



Earstones. 



Length. 



Depth. 



17 (PI. ii. a.) 



18 



19 



20 

 21 

 22 



89mm. 

 110mm. 

 162mm. 

 210mm. 



114 inches. 



Hi „ 



About 5 •Omm. 

 ,, 60mm. 

 ,, 8 "Omm. 



10 '5mm. 



11 •0mm. 

 11 '4mm. 



2'omni, 

 3 -0mm. 

 Fully 4 -0mm. 



4 "omm. 

 5*3mm. 



5 "omm. 



In the larger examples of the brassies referred to here the proportion 

 that the length of the earstones bears to the length of the fish is about 

 the one twenty-sixth part, but it appears to become greater in the smaller 

 fishes as in the case of the haddocks. 



Gadus minutus, Linn. The Poor Cod. 



This species is nearly allied to the last, and appears to possess somewhat 

 similar earstones. No specimens are represented by the photographs. 



Gadus esmarkii, Nilsson. The Norway Pout. PI. ii. a., figs. 25 -28. 



Four specimens of Gadus esmarkii are represented by their earstones 

 on pi. ii. a. They measured respectively 6| inches, 5| inches, 4-f inches, 

 and 4 inches. Their earstones have a tolerably close resemblance to those 

 of small Gadus luscus f but they are scarcely so massively formed, and are 

 rather longer and narrower. Those removed from the largest specimen 

 of Gadus esmarkii measured about 7 -5mm. in length by fully 3mm. in 

 depth, and those of the next three specimens measured about 6 5mm., 

 5'2mm., and 5mm. in length, and their depths varied in a corresponding 

 degree. The earstones of the largest specimen were, as indicated by the 

 foregoing measurements, about the one twenty-second part of the entire 

 length of the fish. 



Gadus poutassou, Risso. Couch's Whiting. PI. ii. a., fig. 29; pi. iv.. 

 fig. 5. 



This species is represented by a single pair of otoliths ; they are from a 

 fish 155mm. (fully 6 inches) in length, and measure 8'5mm. long by 

 nearly 3mm. in depth. In their shape and sculpture they have a general 

 resemblance to those of Gadus esmarkii, but are rather more slender and 

 elongated. The anterior end is bluntly rounded, the upper and lower 

 margins taper in a nearly uniform manner to the sharp-pointed distal 

 extremity, and both margins are crenulated. The exterior side is only 

 slightly incurved and moderately rugose, and the inner surface is nearly 

 smooth. 



