POUTASSOU. 
513 
the second dorsal fin and the tip of the snout is about 
45 1 2 — 50 % of the length of the body, and the base 
of this fin measures about 9 V 2 or 9 % of the same 
length. In most cases only the first ray is simple, but 
sometimes the second ray as well, and the latter is the 
longest ray in the fin, its length being about 1 1 1 / 2 % 
of that of the body. The third dorsal fin, which be- 
gins at a distance from the tip of the snout measuring 
between 66 and 74 % of the length of the body, re- 
sembles an obtuse-angled triangle with the longest side 
at the base, the length of this side being about 15 — 
13 % of that of the body. The first three or four rays, 
in young specimens the first eight, are simple, and the 
fourth is the longest, measuring about 8 1 ,/ 2 — 7 1 / 2 % of 
the length of the body. 
The first anal fin begins at a distance from the 
tip of the snout equal to about 33 — 35 % of the length 
of the body, thus almost in a line with the first dorsal 
fin or even a little in front of it, and extends very 
nearly back to the beginning of the second anal fin, 
its length being about 31 — 367 2 % of that of the body. 
The first four or five rays are simple, and the fifth 
ray is generally the longest, though its length is only 
about 7 — 10 % of that of the body. The fin is also 
of fairly uniform height, becoming only gradually lower 
behind. The second anal fin almost exactly corresponds 
in position and form to the third dorsal, but is some- 
what longer, its length being about 1 7 1 / 2 — 15‘/ 2 % of 
that of the body. 
The caudal fin is deeply forked. The length of 
its middle rays is about 7 — 57 2 % of that of the body. 
The most important characteristics of the internal 
organs have already been noticed above. The abdo- 
minal cavity extends back to a line with the end of 
the second dorsal fin or even with that of the first 
anal fin. The peritoneum is. of a lustrous black. 
The covering of scales resembles that of Gadus 
EsmarJdi. The scales of the body are fairly large, 
especially below the lateral line. Above this line about 
12 scales may be counted in an oblique row from the 
anterior dorsal fins and from the beginning of the third 
dorsal fin. The head is also thickly covered with scales, 
and small scales clothe the snout out to the very tip. 
All the vertical fins are also covered with scales, at the 
base at least; but how far this scaly covering extends, 
is as yet unknown. The Poutassou has some of the 
characters of the true deep-sea fishes, not only in the 
large size of the eyes but also in the softness of the 
body and the looseness of the skin. The fins are co- 
vered with a thick skin at the base, but on their outer 
parts, as v. Duben and Koren have already remarked, 
the membrane is “more fragile than in the kindred 
species, which accounts for the fact, that the fins are 
seldom found perfect and entire.” 
The coloration reminds us of that of the Herring. 
From the bluish gray back it grows lighter and lighter 
down the sides, becoming silvery and finally milk-white 
on the belly. The skin is finely punctated everywhere 
with small, round, blackish brown spots of pigment, 
thickest in the region of the pectoral fins, where, in 
the axil of the fin, they leave a trace of the black spot 
which we have seen in several of the preceding species. 
It is the black colour of the pharynx, the root of the 
tongue, and the inner surface of the opercula that, has 
given the Poutassou its Swedish name (kolmiden = 
Coal-mouth). 
The Poutassou, like Gadus Esmarldi, is one of 
E, shark’s discoveries in the Scandinavian fauna; but 
almost simultaneously with his discovery of it in Chri- 
stiania Fjord (1843) it was also found by v. Duben 
and Koren off Bergen, where it had long been known 
to the fishermen. It was originally described, however, 
though but little known to science, as a Mediterranean 
species. In this locality it was taken in quantities off 
Nice, and in spring the fry were seen in large shoals 
at the surface of the sea. It has sometimes appeared 
in the same way on the English coast. “In June, 
1861,” says Dunn as quoted by Day, “our bays were 
full of the young of this species. In 1871, if possible, 
they were in greater quantities, some shoals covering 
acres of sea-water, these leaping over each other in 
hungry haste to devour the young herrings, which 'were 
plentiful in the sea.” Steindachner found the Pou- 
tassou off Barcelona, Giglioli includes it, as a rare 
species, among the fishes of Italy, and, according to 
Apostolides, it is common on the coast of Greece. The 
geographical range of the Poutassou thus seems essen- 
tially to coincide with that of the Blue-mouth ( Scor - 
pcena dactyl opt era); and this similarity also extends to 
their bathymetric ranges. 
On the coast of Scandinavia the Poutassou goes as 
far north as Norwegian Finmark. From this region 
the Royal Museum received from Mr. F. Bull in 1850 
a specimen 2 dm. long, and according to Collett the 
Museum of Christiania also possesses young specimens 
from Ox Fjord, a little south of Hammerfest (70° 13' N.). 
Scandina victn Fishes. 
G5 
