The Codlings, or Hakes 



Labrador to Cape Hatteras. They are abundant northward, and 

 are found at a depth as great as 300 fathoms. The two species 

 are very closely related, differing chiefly in the larger scales of 

 the squirrel hake. 



They are both ground-fish, remaining close to the bottom, 

 and rarely coming to the surface. According to Captain Atwood 

 they are much more inclined to take the hook by night than 

 by day, and are found on muddy bottom during summer and 

 autumn along the coast of Maine and Massachusetts. They are 

 in best condition during the fall, and if properly prepared are a 

 tolerably good table-fish. They probably spawn in summer, as 

 shown by fish taken then and the size of young seen in the 

 fall. 



They are fished for extensively off the New England coast, 

 the amount landed at Gloucester in 1899 aggregating more than 

 10,000,000 pounds. The white hake constitutes the larger part 

 of the catch. The shore fisheries are by means of hand lines 

 on moonlight nights on muddy bottoms in 10 to 40 or 50 

 fathoms. The schooner fishery is carried on in much deeper 

 water with trawls and hand-lines. The average size of the hake 

 taken probably does not exceed 5 to 10 pounds, though each 

 species reaches a much larger size. Examples weighing as much 

 as 40 pounds have been reported. 



Hake are used extensively for corning, and as boneless cod 

 and shredded cod. They are also smoked in small quantities. 

 They also yield a valuable oil, and the air-bladder or sound is 

 ver) valuable for the making of isinglass and glue, and even as 

 food. 



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