CODFISHES. 
487 
THE WHITING (sw. hvitlinoen). 
GADUS MERLANGUS. 
Plate XXIV, fig. 1. 
Length of the base of the first, anal fin more than half the distance between this fin and the tip of the snout. 
Upper jaw most prominent. Length of the lower jaw at least about 47’ % of that of the head. Least depth of 
the tail at most about 42 % of the length of the lower jaw. Length of the head at least about 25 % of that of 
the bodg. Distance between the tip of the snout and the hind extremity of the maxillary bones more than 84 % 
of the length of the lower jaw and also greater than the length of the ventral fins. Length of the snout more 
than 8 % of that of the body , than 75 % of the postorbital length of the head , or than 67 % of the length of 
the lower jaw. Coloration light , shading into yellow , violet , and green , brownish on the bach , milk-white on the 
ventral sides; lateral line dark; a blackish spot 
B. dr. 7; D. 13 — 15«|20^ — 25|19 — 22 ; A. 31 r — 38|20— 24 ; 
P. 19—20; V. 6; U. x + 23— 25 fi- x\ Vert. 54—55. 
Syn. Le merlan, Belon, Nat., Dicers. Poiss. (1555), p. 120; Duham., 
Tv. Peek., part. II, sect. 1, p. 128, tab. XXII. 
Gaclus No. 1 , Art., Gen., p. 19; Syn., p. 34; Descr. Sp., 
p. 62. Lin., Fn. Suec., ed. I, p. 110; It. Westrog., p. 176; 
It. Scan., p. 326, tab. 2, fig. 2. 
Gadas merlangus, Lin., Syst. Nat., ed. X, torn. I, p. 253; 
Faber, Naturg. Fisch. 1st., p. 93; Nilss., Prodr. Ichth. 
Scand., p. 42; Schagerstr., Physiogr. Sallsk. Tidskrif t, 1837, 
p. 300; Fn. et v. Weight, St and. Fisk., ed. I, p. 81, tab. 18; 
Nilss., Scand. Fn., Fisk., p. 553; Gthr, Cat. Brit. Mus., 
Fish., vol. IV, p. 334; Lindstr., Gotl. Fisk., (Gotl. L. 
Hush. Sallsk. Arsber. 1866), p. 26, sep.; Mgrn, Ofvers. 
Vet.-Akad. Fork. 1867, p. 263; Steind., Stzber. Aknd. Wiss. 
Wien, Math. Naturw. CL, LVII, i (1868), p. 703; Coll., 
Vid. Selsk. Forh, Christ. 1874, Tillsegsh., p. 108; Winth,, 
Naturli. Tidskr. Kbhvn, ser. Ill, vol. XII, p. 29; Benecke, 
Fiscli. Fischer., Fischz. 0., W. Preuss., p. 88; Day, Fish. 
Gt. Brit., Irel., vol. I, p. 290, pi. LXXXII; Mob., IIcke, 
Fisch. Osts., p. 76; Lillj., Sv., Norg. Fisk., vol. II, p. 61; 
Hansen, Zool. Dan., Fiske, p. 69, tab. IX, fig. 5. 
Merlangus vulgaris , Flem., Brit. Anim., p. 195; Kb., Damn. 
Fiske, vol. 2, p. 83; Thomps., Nat. Hist. Irel., vol. IV, 
p. 182; Mor., Hist. Nat. Poiss. Fr., tom. Ill, p. 239. 
Gadtis euxinus , Nordm. in Demid., Voy. Puss. Mer., p. 526, 
Poiss., pi. 26, fig. 2 (vide Steindaciiner, 1. c.). 
Merlangus Linne'i, Malm, Gbgs, Boh. Fn., p. 485. 
The Whiting is one of the smaller Gadoid species. 
Most of the Scandinavian specimens are between 20 
and 35 cm. in length, though now and then a speci- 
men 55 cm. or more in length is taken, but only on 
rare occasions. 
The form of the body is handsome and well-pro- 
portioned. The greatest depth, which measures about 
in the upper 'part of the axil of the pectoral fins. 
18 or 19 % d of the length of the body, occurs at the 
first dorsal tin. From this point the body tapers gra- 
dually and regularly towards the caudal tin, with only 
a slight distension at the bases of the unpaired tins. 
The greatest breadth is about half the depth or rather 
more, from about 9 1 / 2 to 11 % of the length of the 
body. The least depth of the body varies, according 
to our measurements, in different individuals between 
4' 7 % and 5 "3 % of the length of the body or between 
38 and 41 J /a % ot the length of the lower jaw. 
The head, the length of which is from 25 to 27 % 
of that of the body, is wedge-shaped, with straight and 
fairly broad, somewhat convex forehead. file snout is 
somewhat pointed, though blunt, and projects only a 
little way in front of the margin of the upper jaw, its 
length in front of the eyes measuring about 9 — 9 '(3 % 
of the length of the body or 35 — 37 % of that of the 
head. The sides of the head are rather flat and smooth, 
being covered with a thick skin, which entirely covers 
and conceals the bones of the gill-covers, and, as in 
most of the Cods, grows out beyond them with age, 
the postorbital length of the head (including this flap) 
increasing from about 1 0 1 / 2 to 1 2 1 / 2 % of that of the 
body or from about 83 to 96 % of that of the lower 
jaw. The eyes are middle-sized, their longitudinal dia- 
meter varying between about 6 and 4 1 % of the length 
of the body or from about 2 3 1 / 2 % to about 1 6 1 / s % 
of the length of the head in Whitings between 13 and 
41 cm. long. They are round and naked, and are set 
a Sometimes 16, according to Moreau. 
b i o 
5? AO ? ?5 75 ?7 
c 30 
7 ? J 7 7 7 7 5 7 5 
d Occasionally, in the males, only 16 '/„ /. 
