Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
MURLOCH, n. One of the dog-fishes, identified as the smooth hound, Mustelus mustelus (Lth. 1811 Wernerian Soc. Mem. I. 549), or the young piked dog-fish, Squalus acanthias.Arg. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XII. 322:
There is a very delicate fish that may be had through the whole year, called by the country people murloch. It is very long in proportion to its thickness, and, in shape, resembles the dog-fish, it is covered with a very rough skin, like shagreen, of which it must be stripped.
