512 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
large eyes, like the preceding species, Oien-paal , and in 
Trondhjem Fjord Blagunnar. Even externally, in the 
shortness of the anterior dorsal fins, the great distance 
of these fins from each other and from the third dorsal 
fin, and the great length of the first anal fin, it differs 
so considerably from the other species of the genus that 
it seems worthy of the rank of a distinct subgenus. In 
the internal organs we have above 'remarked the pecu- 
liarity that the Poutassou has no pyloric appendages, 
to which we_ may add that, like the preceding species, 
it has only one lobe in the liver. Still, the external 
differences are not so great as to find expression in 
the formula of the fin-rays; and as to the comparative 
significance of the internal differences, Gadus Esmarkii 
forms a distinct link between the Poutassou and the 
other species of the genus, at least in the reduction 
of the liver. 
The body of the Poutassou is rather elongated, the 
greatest depth of the body in young specimens about 
1 dm. long being sometimes only 13 or 14 % of its 
length, while in gravid females about 4 dm. long it may 
be as much as 19 % thereof. The greatest thickness of 
the body is about 9 or 10 % of its length. The back 
is almost abruptly rounded at the top. The sides of 
the body are flat, and converge towards the ventral 
margin, which however is flat. The least depth of the 
body increases with age from about 47 3 to 5 x / 3 % of 
its length. The relation of the anterior parts of the 
dorsal and ventral profiles to each other varies accord- 
ing to the degree of tension of the dorsal muscles, in this 
species as in the preceding one. Sometimes, when the 
dorsal muscles are strongly contracted, the dorsal pro- 
file in front of the first dorsal fin runs almost straight 
out to the tip of the snout, while the ventral profile is 
arched upwards, and the cleft of the mouth also turned 
more sharply upwards than at other times. Sometimes, 
on the other hand, the dorsal profile curves slowly, but 
uniformly, downwards to the very tip of the snout. 
The length of the head varies between about 24 
and 23 % of that of the body, and the longitudinal 
diameter of the eyes, which are rather large, is about 
1 j i (26 — 24 %) of the former length. The position of 
the eyes is such that the length of the snout, which 
increases even relatively with age, measures about 29 — 
33 % of that of the head, while the postorbital length 
of the head, which relatively decreases during growth, 
measures about 46 — 40 % of the total length thereof. 
The nostrils lie as in the preceding species. The max- 
illary bones resemble those of Gadus Esmarkii, ex- 
tending back below the eyes in this- species, too, for 
about a third of the length of the latter; and the di- 
stance between the tip of the snout and the hind ex- 
tremity of the maxillary bones varies between about 11 
and 10 1 /* % of the length of the body, 80 (sometimes 
76) and 81 7 3 % of the length of the lower jaw, or 
(individually) about 41 and 46 % of the length of the 
head. The lower jaw projects only slightly, and rises at 
an angle of about 30°. Its length is about 1 3 V 2 — 13% 
of that of the body or 57- — 56 % (sometimes 54 %) of 
that of the head. (On the intermaxillary bones we find 
an outer row of large teeth and an inner row of ex- 
tremely small ones. The under-jaw contains only one 
row, answering to the larger row on the intermaxillary 
bones. On each side of the crescent-shaped head of the 
vomer there are 1 — 3 teeth, equal in size to. the teeth 
of the lower jaw; and sometimes, it is said, we may 
find one or two teeth between these teeth or groups of 
teeth. All the teeth are sharply pointed and recurved. 
The opercula are elongated into a short flap that ends 
just above the insertion of the pectoral fins. The bran- 
chiostegal membranes are as usual united to each other. 
The tongue is fleshy and pointed, with free tip. 
The pectoral fins are obliquely pointed, and longer 
than in the Coalfish and Pollack, but shorter than in 
Gadus Esmarkii, their length being about 14 or 15 % 
of that of the body. The uppermost two rays are simple, 
the fourth ray the longest. The ventral fins are slightly 
longer than in the Coalfish, their length being about 
8 % of that of the body, but the first two, simple rays 
are elongated into free, though not very long tips. 
The second ray is the longest. These fins are set just- 
in front of the perpendicular from the insertion of the 
pectoral fins, at a distance from the beginning of the 
anal fin which increases with age from about 10 to 
13 % of the length of the body. The distance between 
these fins and the tip of the snout, even in young 
specimens, is slightly less than the length of the head. 
The first and second dorsal fins are more or less 
nearly right-angled triangles with the shortest side as 
base. The first begins at a distance from the tip of 
the snout measuring about 33 or 34 % of the length 
of the body, and the length of its base is about 7 — 
8Y 2 % of the latter. The first two or three rays are 
simple, and the second ray, sometimes the first, is the 
longest, its length being about 1 2 V 2 — 1 0 1 7 % °f (bat 
of the body. The distance between the beginning of 
