DISTRIBUTION OF TIIF POLLOCK. 2l ; 9 



\villi a school of Pollock :inil captured si\ty thousand pounds of them in her purse seine. Iis 

 range, as now understood, is in the Eastern Atlantic between the parallels Ki and sil ', in tlic. 

 Western Atlantic between 40 aud 70. That its southeastern limit is as near the equator as the 

 parallel of ,'!fl seems quite improbable. 



HABITS AND FOOD. Unlike the Cod and the Haddock, the Pollock is, to a threat extent, a 

 surface-swimming species. The fishes of this species congregate together in law schools, roaming 

 from place to place in search of food. To a certain extent they feed at the bottom, like Cod, but 

 are more often seen at the surface of the water, where they prey upon young fish of all kinds. 



Professor Sars gives the following account of the manner in which they prey upon little 

 Codfish: 



"1 was much interested to see how the Pollock caught the young Codfish. It looked like a 

 systematic chase, and it certainly looked as if the Pollock were acting- with a common and well- 

 defined purpose. As far as I could observe, the schools of Pollock surrounded the little Codfish 

 on all sides, making the circle constantly narrower until all the Codfish were gathered in one lump, 

 which they then, by a quick movement, chased up to the surface of the water. The poor little fish 

 now found themselves attacked on all sides: below, the voracious Pollock, which in their eagerness 

 often leaped above the water; and above, hundreds of screeching sea-gulls, which, with wonderful 

 voracity and precision, pounced down upon the places where the Pollock showed themselves, to 

 share the spoils with them. The whole chase is carried on so rapidly, and the young fish stay only 

 so short a time at the surface of the water before they are scattered in all directions with lightning- 

 like rapidity, that it was not even possible for me to see any, much less to catch any with my 

 insufficient implements." ' 



On the coast of New England they are much disliked by the fishermen, who claim that they 

 consume great quantities of other fish much more valuable, than themselves; in consequence of 

 this the fishermen have a great prejudice against them and refuse to eat them. 



Captain At wood states that about Cape Cod they do not take to the hook freely; that in other 

 localities they are exceedingly voracious, aud great numbers of them may be caught in Massachu- 

 setts Bay with a surface bait. 



When the, United States Fish Commission steamer has been stationed north of Cape Cod, a 

 favorite amusement of the officers has been to catch young Pollock with a fly. The older fish are, 

 less active and remain more at the bottom. 



MOVKMKNT.S. Concerning this species, Captain Atwood states that they appear about Cape 

 Cod in schools in early May, frequently passing round Race Point so closely to the shore as to be 

 caught with the seine among the "tide-rips." 



('apt. K. \V. Merchant, of Gloucester, tells me that the Pollock were very abundant in Massa- 

 chusetts Bay early in this century before the war of 1812. They were especially abundant on 

 Middle Bank. They were at that time chiefly caught with bait of herring, taken in seines from 

 the beaches. The fishing boats were of about thirty tons, and carried three men and a boy. Fishing 

 was carried on chiefly at night, when the vessels would all "fleet up," and the bail on their hooks 

 would toll the schools of fish together. The vessels would take about fifty quintals in a night. 

 There were about thirty tish to the quintal. This abundance, of Pollock lasted until about isiu 

 These Pollock were salted, and consumed at home or carried to Maine. They sold for about two 

 dollars a quintal. The oil of their livers was fried out in kettles on the sin. re. Their roe was 

 exported largely in those days. It was sold by the bushel, at the rate of about sixty cents. 



of the I 'nit cd States Fish Commission, part 5, 170, j>. f.'.Ki. Aiiothn- viviil description of tin- 111:111 tier iu 

 which the Pollock feed upon the sand-eels, or hint, may I"- found on pp. 619 and li'Jd. 



