GEN. LOTA. THE LING. 205 



.ifter it and tlie Hcriing, it is the species which 

 most engages the enterprise and industry of our 

 fishermen. It is found along all the coasts of the 

 three kingdoms, hut the principal fishing stations 

 are among the Western Islands, the Orkneys and 

 Shetland, Yorkshire coast, Cornwall and the Scilly 

 Isles. The mode of capture and cure is nearly the 

 same as with the Cod. The greater proportion are 

 exported to the Spanish ports, hut the traffic is 

 said to yield, in general, hut a trifling remuneration. 

 The sounds (air-bladders) are pickled ; and the roes 

 are preserved in brine, being used either as food, or 

 as a means of attracting fish by thiowing it about 

 the nets, as is often done by the French fisherman. 

 The liver is very large, of a white colour when the 

 fish is in season, and yields a large quantity of oil, 

 often used for the lamp, and not unfrequently of 

 late as an internal medicine, having been found to 

 operate very beneficially in cases of rheumatism. 

 According to Pennant, when the fish is out of season, 

 the liver becomes red as tliat of an ox, and aff'ords 

 no oil, as the latter, by supporting them in the 

 breeding season, when they pursue the business of 

 generation with so much eagerness as to neglect 

 their food, is completely exhausted. The spawning 

 season is stated variously by different authors, and 

 it probably varies in reality. This fish is equally vora- 

 cious with the other larger species of the family, and 

 it may almost be said to devour every kind of small 

 marine animal that falls in its way. It is extremely 

 prolific; and so tenacious of life as to survive in- 



