468 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
ever, by the fishermen of Bohuslan that they had seen 
Haddocks 89 cm. or more in length". 
The body is of the normal Gadoid form, being 
usually somewhat deeper than that of the Common Cod. 
The greatest depth varies between 21 or (generally in 
the males) 20 and 23 % of the length. The least depth 
of the body is also, in most specimens, somewhat greater 
than in the Cod, varying between 5 and 5V 2 % °f the 
length. On the other hand, the body is generally rather 
more compressed, the greatest thickness varying between 
55 (sometimes 54) and 61 % of the greatest depth. The 
dorsal profile slopes from the first dorsal fin to the 
occiput, and joins the forehead, which bends slightly 
down towards the snout, in a regular, gradual curve. 
The head is of a singular form, characteristic of 
this species * * * * 6 . The under surface is perfectly flat when 
the mouth is closed, the lower jaw, the projecting margin 
of the upper jaw, and the inferior margin of the still 
more prominent snout lying in the same plane, and the 
slightly curved frontal profile sloping in a wedge-shape 
towards the snout. The snout is somewhat pointed 0 ', 
but broader than high, and quite thin, and projects as 
far in front of the tip of the upper jaw as the latter 
beyond the lower jaw. With the exception of the ex- 
treme margin, which is visible, the whole of the upper 
jaw lies in a deep dermal fold under the snout/ 7 . The 
upper jaw is comparatively short, its hind extremity 
falling short of the perpendicular from the anterior 
margin of the eye, or, at all events, extending only 
just behind it. The distance from the tip of the snout 
to the end of the maxillary bones is about 9 or 10 % 
of the length of the body, but to the best of our know- 
ledge does not exceed the latter proportion. The eyes 
are comparatively large, their length in full-grown spe- 
cimens being very nearly 1 / i of that of the head. They 
are set high, their inferior margin lying somewhat above 
the line from the point of the operculum to the margin 
of the upper jaw, and their upper margin almost in the 
same plane as the forehead. The distance between them 
is about equal to their diameter; and the centre of the 
eye almost coincides with the middle point of the length 
of the head. The nostrils lie in a small depression 
somewhat behind the middle of the snout, one on each 
side just in front of and a little above the other. The 
posterior opening on each side is large, oval, and open, 
with only the upper anterior part of the margin raised 
in a lobate form; the anterior is smaller, with a more 
tubular orifice, the lower posterior part of the margin 
being furnished with an upright, triangular flap. The 
lips are fairly thick, and envelop the margins of both 
jaws. The gape is small, its length being about V 3 of 
that of the head; it is turned obliquely downwards 
when the mouth is opened and the upper jaw protruded. 
In both jaws and on the head of the vomer we find 
rather small and short, pointed, recurved teeth, in the 
upper jaw (on the intermaxillary bones) set in several, 
close rows, but in the lower, strictly speaking, in only 
two, of which the inner one is often hardly perceptible. 
The tongue is somewhat pointed, with free tip. The 
gill-openings are middle-sized. The branchiostegal mem- 
branes are interiorly united to each other in the form 
of a collar. The branchiostegal rays are, as usual, 7. 
Under the chin ive find a small, conical barbel, with 
fine tip. Its length is less than the diameter of the eye. 
The whole body, out to the very snout, is covered 
with small, thin scales, which are generally invisible 
during the life of the fish, being then coated with slime. 
These scales also cover a great portion of the caudal 
fin and the bases of the dorsal fins, especially in front, 
and of the pectoral fins. Some- traces of scales also 
appear on the front parts of both anal fins. The lateral 
line starts from the temporal region, on a level with 
the upper margin of the eye and in a scarcely percep- 
tible curve, and below the second dorsal fin descends 
evenly, thus occupying the middle of the side vertically 
below the beginning of the third dorsal fin, from which 
point its course is straight. It is strikingly broad and 
depressed, with the margins of the groove swollen, as 
“ Statements from England and North America show that the Haddock may attain a much greater size. Olsen ( Piscatorial Atlas , 
pi. 17) gives 16 lbs. as the maximum weight of the Haddock. Day mentions a specimen that was caught in Dublin Bay, and was 37 in. 
in length and 24 1 / 4 lbs. in weight. Storer (Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, Sc., vol. VI, p. 357) states the maximum weight of the Haddock at 
17 lbs., and Earll (see Brown-Goode, 1. c.) found the weight of a gravid female 28 1 /, inches long to be 9 lbs. 9 oz. 
6 In full-grown specimens the length of the head is about 1 / 4 of that of the body. In fry between 35 and 70 mm. long we have 
found the length of the head to be 27 or 28 % of the length of the body. 
c Its relative length, on the other hand, is the same as in the Common Cod, varying between about 8 1 /,, and 10 % of the length of the body. 
d Gesner {Hist. Anim., lib. IV, p. 86 — Frankfort, 1620) describes the form of the snout as rostrum aquilinum, and suggests the 
latter word as the derivation of the name of aiglefin. At Dieppe, however, the Maigre ( Scicena ) is also known as aigle , and aiglefin may 
perhaps be due to some fancied likeness between this fish and the Haddock. Belon had already declared that it was impossible to discover 
any satisfactory etymology of aiglefin. 
