HADDOCK. 
469 
it were. The vent is situated somewhat in front of the 
middle of the body, below the beginning of the second 
dorsal fin, the distance between it and the tip of the 
snout being about 38 — 41 % of the length of the body. 
The pectoral fins contain 2 simple and 17 — 19 
branched rays. The 4th and 5th rays are the longest, 
the following ones gradually decreasing in length, and 
the last rays very small and difficult to distinguish. 
The length of the fins is about 16“ — 1 7 1 / 2 % of that of 
the body, and their tips extend to a line with the vent. 
The ventral fins are pointed, and in old specimens co- 
ver slightly more than half the distance between their 
bases and the beginning of the first anal fin. In young 
specimens they are comparatively larger, their length 
being sometimes as much as 81 % of this distance. 
They are made up of 6 rays, the first two simple, with 
long, free tips, and the second the longest. 
The first dorsal fin begins above the base of the 
pectoral fins, at a distance from the tip of the snout 
equal to 28 — 30 ? / o of the length of the body; and its 
base measures about 13 % of the length of the body. 
It is triangular in shape, with a fairly acute angle, and 
is higher than either of the other two dorsal fins. It 
contains from 14 to 17 rays, the first two simple, the 
second the longest, measuring between about 1 5 1 / 2 and 
187 2 % of the length of the body, and the remaining 
ones decreasing rapidly in length. The anterior margin 
of the second dorsal fin, which has the longest base — 
measuring about 21 — 22 1 / 2 % of the length of the body, 
leans backwards, forming a somewhat obtuse angle with 
the straight, sloping,- superior margin. This fin is made 
up of from 20 to 24 rays, the fifth and sixth being 
the longest and comparatively longer in young speci- 
mens than in old, and of a length varying between 14 
and about 10 % of that of the body, or about equal 
to that of the ventral fins. The third dorsal fin is of 
almost the same shape as the second, but shorter, its 
length being about 1 4 1 / 2 — 1 5 1 / 2 % of that of the body, 
and somewhat more pointed at the anterior corner. It 
consists of from 19 to 22 rays, the fourth or fifth 
being the longest, and measuring about 10 — 8 % of 
length of the body. 
The first anal fin differs but slightly from the se- 
cond dorsal. It begins somewhat further back, the 
distance between it and the tip of the snout, compared 
with the corresponding distance in the case of the second 
dorsal fin, is as 10 to 9'8 or 9‘3; and the anterior 
corner is much more rounded. It contains from 21 to 
25 rays, the first five or six simple at the tip, and the 
third generally the longest. The resemblance is still 
greater between the second anal fin and the third dorsal. 
The former consists of between 20 and 24 rays, the 
first two simple, and the third the longest. 
The caudal fin is normal in form, somewhat in- 
cised at the tip, but not far from truncate when ex- 
panded. The length of its middle rays diminishes 
during growth from about 8 1 2 to 67 3 % of that of 
the body. 
The difference in colour between a live (Plate 
XXII, fig. 1) and a dead Haddock (Plate XXIII, fig. 2) 
is considerable. The latter is of a plain, dirty gray 
above and white below, with black lateral line. In the 
living fish, on the other hand, the upper part of the 
head and the back are of a dark gray, violet colour, 
which as it passes into the lighter, silver-gray colour 
of the sides assumes a handsome, light, coppery lustre 
of marked brilliancy. The belly, the lower portion of 
the head, and the tail are milk-white. The sides are 
silver-gray, shading into yellow at the top and below 
thickly strewn with fine, blackish dots. The lateral line 
is yellowish black, but darker at one moment and 
lighter at another. The iris is blackish gray, with a 
dark shading of yellowish tinge above and below the 
pupil. A marking especially characteristic of the Had- 
dock is the large, blackish spot that lies just below the 
lateral line in the neighbourhood of the first dorsal fin. 
It is constantly present, in all specimens of all ages, 
but may be more or less distinctly prominent. The 
shape of this spot is very irregular and variable. The 
superior fins, as well as the pectoral fins and the caudal 
fin, are of the general colour of the back, with lighter, 
yellowish bases. The anal fins are silver-gray, with 
milk-white base, strewn with numbers of black dots, 
and lighter margin. The ventral fins are milk-white, 
the membrane between the branched rays punctated 
with black. 
The structure of the internal organs is essentially 
the same as in most of the Codfishes; and as it is our 
intention to give a more minute description of these 
organs in the Whiting, we need only point out for the 
present that the abdominal cavity extends back to about 
the middle of the body, or to a distance beyond the 
Sometimes 13 , according to Kroyer. 
