604 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
Nilss. ( ZoarccBus ), Skand. Fn., Fish., p. 203; Sund., Stockh. 
L. Hush. Sallsk. Hand]., H. 6 (1855) p. 80; Gthr ( Zoarces ), 
Cat. Brit. Mus., Fisli., vol. Ill, p. 295; Mgrn, Finl. Fiskfn. 
(disp. Helsingf. 1863), p. 21; Lindstr. ( Zoarcceus ), Gotl. 
Fish., Got]. L. Hush. Sallsk. Arsber. 1866, p. 15 (sep.); 
Steind., Stzber. Akad. Wiss. Wien. Naturw. Math. Cl. LVII, i 
(1868) p. 676; Coll. (Zoarces), Forh. Vid. Selsk. Christ. 
1874, Tilhegsh., p. 78; Malm, Gbgs, Boll. Fn., p. 473; 
Winth., Naturh. Tidskr. Kbhvn, ser. 3, vol. XII. p. 23; 
Bncke, Fisch., Fischer., Fischz. 0., W. Breuss., p. 80; 
Day, Fish. Gt. Brit., Irel ., vol. I, p. 211, tab. LXI, fig. 2; 
Mor., Hist. Nat. Poiss. Fr., vol. II, p. 156; Mela, Vert. 
Fenn ., p. 292, tab. IX; Mob., Hcke, Fisch. Osts., p. 61; 
Lillj., S'v., Norg. Fish., vol. I, p. 552; Hansen, Zool. Dan., 
Fishe, p. 49, tab VIII, fig. 2; Bncke, Handb. Fischz., 
Fischer. (M. v. u. Borne) p. 92. 
Blennius Dump mus, Lin., Syst. Nat., 1. c., — ex Art. et 
WlLLUGHB. 
Obs. The only constant character we have been able to discover, 
to distinguish between the European and American Eelpouts, lies in 
the number of the fin-rays. This character is evidently connected with 
a greater elongation of the hind part of the body in the American 
form (Enchelyopus anguillaris ), especially as this form appears in a 
specimen 40 cm. long which the Boyal Museum has received through 
the Smithsonian Institution. Todd’s figure in Brown-Goode ( r Fhe Fishe- 
ries and Fishery Industries of the United States, Section I, Plate 67) 
shows, however, that in this respect the variations may be great in 
both forms. Even among our Scandinavian Eelpouts it seems to be 
possible to distinguish between two forms. The first of these forms 
by the more slender form of the body represents the most advanced 
development of the male characters, like the American species, has the 
beginning of the dorsal fin situated further forward (its distance from 
the tip of the snout less than 16 % of the length of the body), and 
in several other respects shows traces of the persistency of the juve- 
nile characters. This form occurs, according to the collections of the 
Royal Museum, on the coast of Finmark and otf Kola Peninsula. In the 
second form, a southern one, which the Museum possesses both from 
Bohuslan and the Baltic, the region of the anal fin is generally shor- 
ter, the head larger, and the beginning of the dorsal fin situated 
further back. For the sake of brevity we refer the reader to the 
following table of averages. 
Length of the body expressed in millimetres 
Distance between the dorsal tin and the tip of the snout in % of the length of the body 
„ ,, „ „ „ ,, ,, ,, „ „ „ „ „ „ ,, distance between the beginning of the 
anal tin and the tip of the caudal tin 
Postorbital length of the head in % of the length of the body 
,, „ „ „ ,, ,, „ „ „ distance between the beginning of the anal fin and the tip of 
the caudal fin 
Distance between the beginning of the anal fin and the tip of the caudal fin in % of the length of the body 
A 3 ts 
399 
14.1 
21.1 
9.5 
14.2 
67.o 
Average in 
5. c 
5' 
e 
E ^ rz 
3 5“ 
a 
99 
14.2 
21.8 
9 3 
14.4 
64.9 
O' Pf « 
9 2-3' 
a 5 s re 
qb 4 
- a | 
1 s-* 
0 w a 
c" e 
164 
15.i 
24.4 
9.0 
15.5 
62.3 
l A 
16.7 
26. g 
10.3 
16.3 
63.o 
BBS. 
£3- O a 
RT* g 
0 1 7 
1 p: 
cc 
226 
17.2 
29.0 
10.9 
18.4 
59.4 
. — 1 ^ d 
o »-*■ r 
3 >- 
349 
17.o 
28.9 
10.8 
18.4 
58.7 
The ordinary length of our common Eelpout is 
about 30 cm., but we have received specimens from the 
island-belt of Stockholm that were nearly 40 cm. long. 
Further south the Eelpout seems to attain a greater 
size; Parnell mentions specimens taken off Berwick 
(at the mouth of the Tweed) that were nearly 2 ft. 
(61 cm.) in length". The females attain a greater size 
than the males. 
In the form of the body the Eelpout is most like 
the common Burbot. The depth of the body at the 
beginning of the anal tin in young specimens (less than 
1 dm. long) measures about 87s' — 97s 0// ° °f the length 
of the body, in older specimens about 97 2 — 1 1 1 / 2 % 
thereof. The head is small, its length in adult Eelpouts 
being about 18 or 19 % of that of the body. Under- 
neath it is flat, above rounded, with tumid cheeks and 
with forehead somewhat compressed laterally and slop- 
ing in a steep curve towards the snout. The mouth is 
of moderate size, with rounded jaws and very tumid 
lips, which are wrapped round the jaw-bones and entirely 
cover them. The upper jaw is protrusile to some ex- 
tent, though only slightly. Both the jaws are of the 
same length and furnished with conical, small but strong 
teeth, with rather blunt tip''. I 11 the upper jaw these 
teeth are set in two rows, the anterior (outer) fairly 
regular and containing about 12 teeth on each of the 
intermaxillary bones, the posterior (inner) less regular, 
with shorter teeth, and ending usually at the root of 
Amer. 
a The American form sometimes attains a length of 372 (107 cm.) and a weight of 12 lbs. (5 kgm.), according to Storer (Mem. 
Acad. Arts, Sc., N. Ser., vol. V, p. 264). 
h The teeth of the American Enchelyopus are green, coarser, and still blunter, reminding us strongly of those of the Sea-cat. 
