496 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
length of the head is between about 22 1 / 2 and 237 2 % 
of that of the body. The length of the snout, as in 
the Bib, measures about 28 — 30 % of that of the head, 
but is always at least somewhat less than the longi- 
tudinal diameter of the eyes, though these two mea- 
surements may approach each other so closely as to 
represent respectively 6‘6 and 6‘7 % of the length of 
the body or 29'6 and 30‘1 % of that of the head. The 
eyes are very large, their longitudinal diameter varying 
between about 34 and 30 % of the length of the head. 
Their position is the same as in the Whiting; but the 
distance between them is much less than their dia- 
meter. The nasal cavities lie just in front of the eyes, 
and the anterior nostrils are, as it were, cucullate. The 
mouth is turned obliquely upward, but in other re- 
spects resembles that of the Whiting, though the upper 
jaw is not so long in proportion to the lower. The 
intermaxillary teeth form a card, which grows narrower 
behind, and contains teeth of uniform size; but in the 
outer row we find a few (4 — 6), large, scattered ca- 
nines, smaller and more scattered than in the Bib. In 
the under jaw, as in the case of the Bib, there are 
only two rows of teeth, those in the inner row being 
larger and more scattered. On the head of the vomer 
the teeth are set in a curve, or a broad angle, open 
behind. The tongue is small, sharply rounded, spatu- 
late, and free only at the extreme margin. Under the 
chin we find a fairly long barbel, which is, however, 
shorter than in the Bib, and measures less than the 
diameter of the eye. The branchiostegal membrane 
is interiorly rather broad and only slightly incised; 
the rays are sometimes 8 in number, but generally, as 
in most of the Cods, only 7. The branchiostegal mem- 
brane is more rounded on the sides of the head than 
in the Whiting, with a pointed corner at the top, in 
which lies the tip of the gill-cover, here almost imper- 
ceptible, but in the Bib more distinct and pungent. 
The scales are larger than those of the Whiting. 
They are imbricate, and set in fairly regular rows, but 
are loosely attached and deciduous. They are thin and 
show regular striations. If we begin to count at the 
vent, and follow an arcuate row of scales to the lateral 
line, this row proves to contain about 39 scales. The 
scales cover half the caudal fin; and very small ones 
may be found covering the bases of the other vertical 
fins and the outer surface of the base of the pectoral 
fins. The lateral line curves distinctly upwards, as in 
the Whiting, and is of similar structure. 
The vent lies about opposite the beginning of the 
second dorsal fin, and generally a little behind the end 
of the first third of the length of the body. 
The pectoral fins are pointed, of a lancet shape, and 
extend a good way behind the vent, their length being 
about 15 — 17 % of that of the body. They contain 
2 simple rays and 15 — 17 branched at the tip. The 
third and fourth rays are the longest, the following 
ones gradually decreasing in length. The ventral fins 
are set just in front of the perpendicular from the base 
of the pectoral, are narrow, long, and very pointed, 
their length being about 1 1 1 / 2 — 147 2 % of that of the 
body, and extend behind the vent. They are composed 
of 6 rays, the first two long and simple, with free tip, 
the second longest, and the others gradually diminishing 
in length and branched at the tip. 
The first dorsal fin begins almost vertically above 
the insertion of the pectoral fins, rises into a triangle 
with rounded apex, and is higher than the second 
dorsal, its height being greater than its length at the 
base, and measuring about 1 4 1 / 2 — 16 % of the length 
of the body, while its length is only 107 2 — 12 % thereof. 
It contains 2 or 3 simple, and from 10 to 12 branched 
rays. The third ray is the longest, the others gradu- 
ally decreasing in length. The second dorsal fin rises 
straight up in front and slopes evenly behind. Its 
length is about 25 — 27 % of the length of the body, and 
its height about 11 — 1 3 % of the latter length. It is 
made up of 2 simple, and (generally) 19 or 20 branched 
rays, with the second ray longest. The third dorsal 
fin is of the same shape as the second, but much 
shorter, though sometimes of the same height. It con- 
tains 3 or 4 simple rays and (generally) 16 or 18 
branched ones, the first of the latter being the longest 
ray in the fin. 
The first anal fin is almost exactly analogous to 
the second dorsal, but is of somewhat greater extent, 
and in young specimens of somewhat greater, in old 
of equal or somewhat less height. Its length is about 
27 — 31 %, and its height about 13 — 11 % of the length 
of the body. The anterior corner is also much more 
rounded, the sixth ray being usually the longest. It 
is composed of 5 or 6 simple, and (generally) 20 — 23 
branched rays. The second anal fin is of about the 
same shape as the third dorsal, which it also resembles 
almost exactly in other respects. Its length is about 
18 — 1 5 1 ,/ 2 % of that of the body, its height about 8 — 12 % 
of the latter length. It contains 3 simple, and (generally) 
