89 



IOTA. 



WITH the general characters of the Gadoid family, the body is more 

 lengthened; a barb at the lower jaw; two fins on the back, the second 

 -ud anal long. 



LING. 



Ling, WILLOUGHBY; p. 175, Table L. 2, N. 2. 



Gadus molva, LINNAEUS, BLOCH; pi. 69. DONOVAN; pi. 102. 



Gade molve, LACEPEDE. Risso. 



Molva vulgaris, FLEMING; Br. Animals, p. 192. 



Lota molva, JENYNS; Manual, p. 4.48. 



" " YARRELL; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 264. 



THE Ling is one of the commonest fishes in all parts of 

 the British Islands, and is nearly in the same estimation for 

 the table as the Cod, not, indeed, when it is fresh, but salted 

 and dried it is preferred; and especially when caught in that 

 space of sea which lies between the Scilly Islands and Land's 

 End, where we suppose the Ling to be found of larger size 

 and higher perfection than in any other part of England. Its 

 cherished resorts are on the rocky borders of the wider valleys 

 of the sea, at some distance from land; but, as the time ap- 

 proaches for shedding the roe, they assemble in considerable 

 numbers somewhat nearer the land; and at this time they are 

 particularly sought after by the fishermen, who employ for 

 taking them the ordinary lines from the boat, which are 

 weighed down with leads proportionally heavy according to the 

 force of the tide. Another and more successful method is with 

 the long line, or bultey, which usually is formed of several 

 hundreds of hooks arranged along a principal line, such as has 

 been already described, and, when stretched out across the 

 VOL. 111. N 



