The Cod-Fish.] OF ORKNEY. ]91 



had their factors, &c. here, and many fish were yearly made 

 and transported from these isles, to the great advantage both 

 of the seller and buyer. Now all is sunk is sunk in indolence 

 and sloth, — with but faint hopes of our soon emerging from it. 



The cod-fish is very voracious ; devours every thing eatable; 

 often shifts its ground, either for conveniency of prey, or to 

 shun the dog-fish, which often come in shoals, and sweep the 

 ground of everything living. The cod is the most prolific of 

 any fish in these seas, and is commonly found high in roe in 

 April, and a few in the beginning of May, at which time their 

 quantity of roe is surprisingly large, and the eggs being very 

 small, must give birth to an immense number of fry. 



Mr Lewenhoek's calculation of nine millions three hundred 

 and eighty-four thousand eggs, though a surprising quantity, is, 

 I dare say, much within truth, as to the spawn of these fish in 

 general ; and yet, notwithstanding of the numerous myriads 

 that must arise from these, we very seldom see many of the 

 fry, so that I suppose their growth is sudden, and their place, 

 till arrived at some bulk, the deeper waters. 



Cod are found of very different shapes and colours, and 

 even the taste differs according to the place they feed in. 



They are often, when poor, tormented with a sort of worm, 

 which insinuates itself into the flakes of the fish, and there 

 lies in many folds ; but this is never seen in a cod while in 

 season. 



The best places for the fishery of cod on these coasts, are the 

 banks to the nortti-west of the Burgh of Birsay, the eddies in 

 the Pightland Frith, round the east side of Orkney, in the Ger- 



