SPOTTED GUNNEL. 
221 
On the coasts of Scandinavia the Spotted Gunnel 
attains a length of at least 23 cm."; the depth is about 
7 9 of the length 6 , and the thickness, which is greatest 
across the cheeks, is in young specimens somewhat more 
than, in old specimens equal to or less than 1 / 2 the 
greatest depth. The body is strongly compressed later- 
ally and elongated, being of almost uniform depth for 
more than half its length, and then very gradually 
tapering towards the tail. This form gives the fish a 
swordlike appearance, and hence, in various places, it 
bears the name of Swordfish. The head is small, mea- 
suring only V 9 of the length of the body, compressed, 
and so sharp at the top that the occiput and forehead 
form a rounded carina. Cheeks somewhat tumid and 
prominent. Mouth small, turned sharply up'', and fur- 
nished with fairly thick lips, which are rolled over the 
jaw-bones; both jaws of about the same length; the 
lower jaw, however, projects distinctly beyond the tip 
of the snout, when the mouth is open. The eyes are 
small and set so high that a line drawn from the back 
point of the gill-cover to the margin of the upper jaw 
touches their lower margin; they are also set so far 
forward that the distance from the tip of the snout to 
the anterior margin of the eye is only 1 / 3 of that from 
the posterior margin of the eye to the back point of 
the gill-cover; their diameter is l /-, or in old specimens 
7 C of the length of the head. The length of the gill- 
cover exceeds 1 / 3 of the length of the head, and its 
end coincides with the top of the insertion of the pec- 
toral fins. The gill-openings are of average size. Both 
the branchiostegal membranes extend round the upper 
corner of the gill-openings above, and below they are 
united to each other without any visible incision. They 
thus lie free round the isthmus, like a collar, being 
united to it only in front. Branchiostegal rays 5, the 
four uppermost being fairly broad, but the fifth very 
narrow, and so short that it does not extend to the 
margin of the branchiostegal membrane, and is directed 
more towards the isthmus. Branchial arches small, the 
hindmost grown together with the posterior Avail of the 
branchial cavity and leaving only a small slit open 
behind it. The gill-rakers appear in the form of sub- 
ulate teeth, set, as usual, in two roAvs. The upper 
pharyngeals are united into two almond-shaped lumps, 
thickly set with fine, cardiform teeth; the lower are 
smaller, but their dentition similar. The tongue is 
smooth, hard, cartilaginous and triangular, with the tip 
free. In both jaws Ave find small, conical, fairly sharp 
teeth, set some distance apart from each other: in the 
upper jaAV the largest (about 1 1 on each side) are set 
in an outer, more regular roAV, within which there are 
from 1 to 3 irregular 1’oavs of smaller teeth, generally 
most numerous in the front part of the jaw. In the 
loAver jaw, on the other hand, the teeth are set in only 
one 1’oav, about 11 on each side and the largest in 
front; but Avithin the front teeth Ave find a few small 
ones, irregularly set and varying in number. On the 
head of the vomer there are a feAv (from 3 to 6) small 
teeth, like the jaw-teeth, but set in an arcuate roAV. 
The palatine bones are toothless. 
The skin is covered Avith an abundant mucous 
secretion, and in the living fish one can scarcely find 
a trace of the small, round scales, Avhich are deeply 
imbedded therein, and, Avithout touching each other, 
are spread over the whole body. The lateral line, 
however, is scarcely visible, but, in the form of a roAV 
of small pores, runs in a straight line almost along 
the middle of the body, slightly nearer the dorsal edge 
than the ventral. On the other hand, the ordinary 
rows of pores on the head which belong to the system 
of the lateral line, are very distinct. 
The dorsal fin is unbroken, Ioav and of almost 
uniform height: it begins above the base of the pectoral 
fins, and extends to the caudal fin, to the base of 
which its membrane is united, though the tAvo fins are 
distinctly separate. All its rays, about 80 in number, 
are simple, hard, fairly thick at the base and very 
sharp at the tip. Their pungent tips are completely 
hidden, hoAvever, by the thick membrane, as long as 
the fin is intact, but if it be damaged, force their Avay 
out of the covering. The anal fin is of the same 
shape as the dorsal and ends vertically beloAv the 
posterior end of that fin, but it is someAvhat higher. 
The distance between it and the tip of the snout is 
from about 47 to 52 % of the length of the body. It 
has two, hard, pungent rays at the beginning, and the 
a Cf. Collett, N. Mag. Naturv., 1. c. 
b The greatest depth of the body varies between O'A 0 n young specimens) and 12 % of the length thereof. The least depth, at 
the base of the caudal fin varies between 3 and 3 l / 3 % of the len gth. 
c After death the mouth is generally more upturned than in life, as at death, in this species as in the preceding one, the dorsal 
muscles usually undergo so powerful contraction that the whole head is drawn somewhat upwards. 
