DORSK. 
67 
The communication which follows is from 
has made himself known to naturalists by the 
a gentleman who 
name of Piscator. 
“Launceston, September 7th., 1843. 
“Dear Sir, — Whilst observing a man who was casting his 
line from the rocks near Boscastle yesterday, I perceived him 
draw on shore a small species of Cod, about six or seven 
inches long, different from any of the Cod tribe I had before 
seen, but exactly answering the description and the plate of 
the Dorse, or Variable Cod, in the second volume of Mr. 
Yarrell’s “British Fishes,” except that instead of being spotted, 
as there described, it was of a dark coppery tinge we so often 
see in young Whiting Pollacks when caught on rocky ground. 
At a first glance indeed I thought it was a small Pollack, 
till the short lower jaw and beard below instantly pointed 
out a distinct species. The eyes were large, irides of a golden 
hue, the pupils intensely black and sharp, and remarkably 
brdliant; the nose is prominent, projecting a little beyond the 
upper jaw, like that of the Haddock; the under jaw short; 
the upper part above the lateral line of a deep chocolate 
cast, assuming a coppery tinge along the sides, and becoming 
much paler towards the belly; the lateral line very distinctly 
marked and silvery, rising in a curve over the pectoral fin, 
then descending and passing in a straight line to the tail. 
Caudal fin square at the cud, of a darker colour, assuming a 
dusky tinge, as indeed were all the fins. I have been thus 
particular in my description, which so far corresponds with 
that of Mr. Yarrell, that I have no doubt but that it is the 
same identical Dorse as described by him. The coloui-, we all 
know, of fishes inhabiting rocky ground can never be relied 
much upon, and varies exceedingly in different specimens taken 
even in the same spot. I considered this communication might 
not be uninteresting to you, more particularly as Mr. Yarrell 
mentions that the authority upon which the Dorse was originally 
introduced seems now to be questionable, though it is well 
known in the Baltic, and frequently called the Baltic Cod. 
But from the juvenile appearance of the specimen I had an 
opportunity of seeing, there can be little doubt that it was a 
native of our own coasts. Mr. Yarrell mentions he had never 
seen a specimen. I wish 1 had thought of preserving mine in 
