of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



241 



2. On a Peculiar Example (Hybrid ?) of the Poor Cod 

 (Gadus minutus). 



A St Andrews fisherman, named Andrew Gordon, procured by a hook 

 on March 24th a fish which puzzled him, and he sent it to the Laboratory. 

 From its appearance he and others supposed it to be a hybrid between 

 the whiting and the bib, or between the former and the poor cod. 



The extreme length of the specimen was 7 \ inches, and the greatest 

 depth 1| inch. In general outline (Plate XI.) it certainly somewhat 

 approached the whiting, though the dusky bronzed pigment of the dorsum 

 and dorso-lateral regions, the somewhat coarser scales, together with the 

 shape of the head, the presence of a barbule, and the condition of the 

 pelvic fins leaned to the poor cod. Yet it differed distinctly from the 

 latter in general aspect, and in the much more silvery infero-lateral 

 regions and abdomen. 



In regard to the shape of the body and the course of the lateral line it 

 most nearly approached the poor cod, though it was more elongated. 

 Moreover, the curve of the lateral line kept at a nearly uniform height, 

 or even with a tendency upward till beyond the tip of the pectoral, and 

 the downward curve was decidedly more abrupt. It differed in this 

 respect not only from the poor cod, but from the whiting and the bib. 

 This curvature may be related to the marked fall in the dorsal outline from 

 the posterior border of the first dorsal fin to the middle of the second. 

 It was not connected with any abnormality of the vertebral column. 



The fins agreed more or less with those in the whiting, the first dorsal 

 especially differing from that in the poor cod and bib, and corresponding 

 rather with that of the whiting, since it was much less acutely triangular and 

 elongated. It possessed 14 rays (Day attributing from 12-15 to the poor 

 cod). The second dorsal corresponded more or less with that in the last- 

 mentioned species, and it had 22 rays (Day 19-25). The fin-rays, how- 

 ever, were less uniform. The third dorsal had 25 rays (Day 17-22), and 

 it resembled that in the poor cod. The first anal commenced in a line 

 with the posterior border of the dorsal, and extended slightly beyond the 

 commencement of the third dorsal. The longer rays anteriorly and its 

 general shape approached the condition in the poor cod. It had 27 rays 

 (Day giving 25-29). A vertical line from the posterior border of the 

 first dorsal touched the commencement of this fin, whereas in the whiting 

 a considerable portion of the first anal is in front of the line. The 

 second anal had 26 rays (Day 25-29). 



The caudal had a somewhat larger ' bite ' in the middle than in the 

 usual examples, and had 30 rays (Day 26). The pectorals require no 

 special remark, except that the black spot at the base was more pro- 

 nounced than in the poor cod, but corresponded neither with the bib nor 

 the whiting, being less distinct than in the former and larger than in the 

 latter. It proceeded to about the middle of the base instead of being 

 confined to the region above the base. There were 18 rays in the 

 pectorals (Day 13-16). The pelvic fins agreed with those of the poor 

 cod, each having 6 rays. 



The snout when viewed from the dorsum was considerably narrower 

 than the average examples of poor cod of the same length. In profile, 

 again, the head was more elongate, the mandible especially differing, since it 

 projected in front beyond the premaxillaries. The eyes were considerably 

 smaller than usual, and the loose corneal covering was less developed. 

 The barbel was comparatively small. 



The specimen was a female, with the ovaries even more advanced than 

 in an average example of the species, and it would certainly have spawned 

 this season. The ova ranged from '3810 mm. to 1*1430 mm. 



