TORSK. 
563 
According to Storm the Torsk attains a length of 
a metre or more. Low says that the largest specimen 
he ever heard of, was oV 2 ft* (1067 mm. long). The 
tish is capable, however, of reproducing its species at 
a length of 3 dm., and it is only exceptionally that 
specimens more than 8 or 9 dm. long are found. 
In the form of the body the Torsk is most like a 
Rockling, being less elongated than the Common Ling, 
fairly terete in front, but strongly compressed at the 
tail. The depth of the body at the beginning of the 
anal tin in young specimens (2 — 3 dm. long) is about 
15 %>, in older ones (4 — 6V 2 dm. long) about 17 V 2 %, 
of the length of the body. The depth of the tail across 
the base of the first caudal rays in young specimens 
measures about 5 V 2 % of the length of the body, in 
older ones about 6 — 6 l / 2 % thereof. The body is broad- 
est as a rule across the gill-covers, its greatest breadth 
in young specimens being about 14 %, in the oldest 
about 12 %>, of its own length. 
The head is of about the same size as in the Coal- 
fish, larger than in the Rocklings, but considerably 
smaller than in the Tadpole Fish. Its length in young 
specimens is about 25 % of that of the body, in old 
about 24 — 2 3 x / 2 % thereof. It is of a wedge-shaped 
(four-sided prismatic) form, the upper contour sloping 
more evenly and less sharply than the lower. The 
forehead is flat, the occiput and snout are slightly more 
convex, and the sides almost vertical, though they di- 
verge slightly in a downward direction. The snout is 
moderately broad, its anterior margin rounded (hori- 
zontally) and projecting slightly beyond the upper or 
the lower jaw. The eyes are set fairly high, their 
upper margin being nearly on the same plane as the 
forehead, and turned slightly upwards, on the same 
plane as the cheeks. Their size is moderate for a Cod- 
fish, their longitudinal diameter in young specimens 
measuring about 5 : / 2 %, in the oldest about 37 2 %, of 
the length of the body, or respectively about 21*/ 2 and 
1 4 V .3 % °f the length of the head. Their position is 
such that the length of the snout varies between about 
7'V 4 and 7 % of that of the body or about 30 % (29'2 
— 31*3 %) of the length of the head, and the post- 
orbital length of the head between about 12 and 13 % 
of the length of the body or about 50 and 55 % of the 
total length of the head. The interorbital space is flat 
and rather broad. Its breadth in young specimens is 
somewhat less, in old considerably more, than the lon- 
gitudinal diameter of the eyes. This breadth also varies 
in different individuals between 5 and 6 % of the length 
of the body or 20 and 26 % of the length of the head. 
The nostrils are rather small. The anterior nostril, 
with its hind margin raised into a canaliculate lid, is 
set somewhat behind the middle of the snout, the pos- 
terior, which is somewhat larger and oblong, about 
half-way between the anterior nostril and the eye, and 
both on about a level with the middle of the eye. The 
mouth is turned slightly upwards and middle-sized for 
a Codfish. The length of the upper jaw from the tip 
of the snout to the hind extremity of the maxillary 
bones measures about 12 — 11 % (11‘8 — 10'9 %) of the 
length of the body or 48— 46 % (48'3 — 45‘7 %) of that 
of the head; and the length of the snout is less than 
2 / 3 (62 — 65 %) of that of the upper jaw. The length 
of the lower jaw is somewhat greater than either the 
postorbital length or the greatest breadth of the head, 
though in young specimens it is equal to the latter. 
It measures about 14 — 1 3 1 / 2 % of the length of the 
body or 61 — 56 % of the length of the head. The lips 
are fleshy and mobile. The upper jaw-bone may be 
concealed to a great extent, when the mouth is closed, 
under the dermal fold that hangs down from the mar- 
gin of the suborbital bones. About half-way along the 
upper jaw, somewhat in front of the end of the inter- 
maxillary bones, we find a- protuberance, which is chiefly 
composed, however, of cartilage, on the upper jaw- 
bone. The teeth are pointed and curved, and in the 
jaws form well-developed cards, broadest in front, grow- 
ing narrower behind (in the lower jaw to such an 
extent that the card ends in a single row), the inter- 
maxillary teeth being of fairly uniform size, those of 
the lower jaw largest in the innermost (hindmost) row. 
On the head of the vomer they form a semicircular or 
angular band, narrow, but in the transverse direction 
of the palate long, and consisting of two or three rows, 
the last (innermost) row with the largest teeth. The 
tongue is fleshy, bluntly pointed, and, like the palatine 
bones, toothless. The pharyngeal teeth are of the same 
form as the jaw-teeth, and form above, on each side, 
two transversely set cards (the two hind pharyngeals 
are united), the anterior narrow, the posterior almost 
semicircular. The lower pharyngeal cards, one on each 
side, are oblong and lanceolate, growing narrower, as 
Faun. Oread., p. 200. 
