192 FISHES. MALACOPTERYGIOUS, Molva, 
Assellus mollis minor, Wilt Ich. I7I. Jago^ Ray Syn. Pise. 163. Gadus 
minutus, Linn. Syst. i. 438. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 185. Block., Ich. t. 
67. Found on the coast of Cornwall by the Reverend Mr Jago. 
Length about 6 inches. Back light brown ; belly whitish. Body lengthen* 
ed. Tail rounded. Lateral line narrow, straight. Anus in the middle of 
the body. 1st D. 12, 2d 19, 3d 17 ; P. 13 ; V. 6 ; 1st A. 27, 2d I7. Approaches 
the shore in spring. 
^ 81. M.. punctatus . — “ Pale brown, with golden spots; be- 
neath white, thickly covered with minute dusky specks ; upper 
jaw longer.” 
“ Speckled Cod, (Gadus punctatus, Turton's Brit. Fauna, i. 90.) Taken 
frequently in the Weirs at Swansea.” 
“Body 18 inches long, slightly arched on the back, a little prominent on the 
belly ; covered, above, with numerous gold-yellow roundish spots ; beneath, 
with dusky specks, which are stellate under a glass. Head large, gradually 
sloping ; teeth small, in several rows in the upper jaw, in the lower a single 
row ; nostrils double ; iris reddish, pupil black ; chin with a single beard ; 
nape with a deep longitudinal groove. Lateral line nearer the back, curved 
as far as the middle second dorsal fin, growing broader and whiter towards 
the end. Upper fins and tail brown, with obscure yellowish spots, and dark- 
er towards the ends ; lower ones tinged with green. Vent near the middle 
of the body. Scales small, all of them, under a glass, minutely spreckled 
with brown ; gill-covers of two pieces. Lower-jaw with 5 obscure punctures 
on each side. Dorsal fins 14-20, 18 rayed; pectoral 18; ventral 6, the first 
ray shorter than the second, and divided a little way down ; anal 19-16; tail 
even, 36, rayed. Differs from Gadus Morhua (M. vulgaris) in not having 
the first anal ray spinous, and in the lower jaw being considerably longer ; 
from G. luscus in the first ray of the ventral fin being shorter than the se- 
cond ; from G. barbatus in wanting the 7 distinct punctures on the lower 
jaw, in its small scales, and in the first dorsal fin not ending in a long fibre ; 
and from G. Callarias, in not being spotted with brown, and in having the 
lateral line white.” 
Gen. XXXIX. MOLVA. Ling. — Body lengthened ; head 
flat ; lateral line straight. The second dorsal and anal fins 
long, the rays of nearly equal length. 
^ 82. 'M. vulgaris. Common Ling.; — Upper-jaw longest ; tail 
rounded ; with a dusky bar. 
Asellus varius Molva, Merr. Pin. 184. Sibh. Scot. 23 — A. longus. Will. 
Ich. 175 — Gadus Molva, Lmw. Syst. i. 439. Penn. Brit. Zoo\. iil 
197 — Common. 
Length from 3 to 4 feet. Above, grey, inclining to olive ; beneath white ; 
the dorsal and anal fins edged with while. 1st D. 15, 2d 65 ; P. 15 ; V. 6 ; 
A. 62. Spawns in spring. When in season as food the liver is white. 
83. M. Lota. Burbot. — Jaws equal; tail oval, slightly 
pointed. 
Mustela, Merr. Pin. 190. Will. Ich. 125.— Gadus Lota, Linn. Syst. i. 
440. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 199. Don. Brit. F'ishes, t. 92 — -E, Eel- 
pont, Coneyfish, Birdbolt. — In slow running rivers, England. 
Length from 1 to 3 feet. Colour brownish, blotched with olive or yeUow. 
Teeth small. The first dorsal fin is short, with 1 1 rays ; the second extends 
almost to the tail, of 61 rays ; P. 16 ; V. 7 ; A. 50. Spawns in December. Es- 
teemed a delicate fish for the table. 
