86 COALFISH. 



eagerness; and as, especially in autumn, they often swim close 

 to the surface in considerable numbers, when a fisherman has 

 the good chance to fall in with a company, he will generally 

 succeed in securing a large number, if not the whole; so that 

 I have known four men with two boats (two men in each 

 boat) secure twenty-four hundredweight with lines in a very 

 few hours. The size of each fish ran at twenty-five pounds 

 with great regularity. It seems uncertain what may be the 

 object of their thus collecting together, but they are swift in 

 their motions, and sport with the same energy that they devour. 

 At other times, besides these gatherings together, the Coalfish 

 associates but little with its fellows. 



Although this fish is not seen at fashionable tables, it will 

 in its season bear some comparison with a portion of the same 

 family that are. It is at least valued by those who are not 

 fastidious in their choice; and, as it takes a preparation with 

 salt favourably, large quantities are cured in the north for 

 exportation. Mr. Edmonson, in his "View of the Zetland 

 Islands," informs us, that besides the quantities that are used 

 fresh, about fifty tons are exported every year. In the west 

 of England they are chiefly kept for the use of the fisherman's 

 family. 



They spawn in the spring, and we are informed that in 

 the islands north of Scotland in the summer the young abound, 

 and are angled for from the rocks, and serve a good purpose 

 in the support of the poorer classes. They are much preyed 

 on by other fish. 



The length of the Coalfish is about three feet, with the 

 weight perhaps of thirty pounds, and a shape well fitted for 

 active exertion. Head pointed, a little flattened above; imder 

 jaw longest, but the proportion less than in the Pollack; teeth 

 in both, and a few in the palate. Body plump, compressed, 

 more slender towards the tail; scales small; lateral line straight, 

 whitish, conspicuous. Vent opposite the division between the 

 first and second dorsal fins. Pectoral fin pointed; dorsal and 

 anal fins rather more angular than in the others of this genus; 

 tail concave. Colour black on the back and dorsal fins, lighter 

 below. The first dorsal fin has thirteen rays, second twenty-one 

 rays, third nineteen; the first anal twenty -four, second fourteen; 

 pectoral twenty; ventral five; caudal thirty-four. 



