Class IV. C O A L F I S H. 187 



Thefe fifli are common on mod of our rocky 

 and deep coafts, but particularly thofe of the north 

 of Great Britain, They fwarm about the Orknies, 

 where the fry are the great fupport of the poor. 



The young begin to appear on the Torkjhire coaft Young. 

 the beginning of July in vaft fhoals, and are at that 

 time about an inch and an half long. In Auguft 

 they are from three to rive inches in length, and 

 are taken in great numbers with the angling 

 rod, and are then efteemed a very delicate filh, but 

 grow fo coarfe when they are a year old that few- 

 people will eat them. Filh of that age are from 

 eight to fifteen inches loner, and beg-in to have a 

 little blacknefs near the gills, and on the back, 

 and the blacknefs encreafes as they grow older. 



The fry is known by different names in diffe- 

 rent places : they are called at Scarborough Parrs, 

 and when a year old, Billets, About nine or ten 

 years ago fuch a glut of Parrs vifited that part, 

 that for feveral weeks it was impofllble to dip a 

 pail into the fea without taking fome. 



Tho' this fifh is fo little efteemed when frefti, 

 yet it is falted and dried for fale; a perfon laft year 

 having cured above a thoufand at Scarborough. 



The coal filh is of more elegant form than the D?»crib. 

 cod fiih : they generally grow to the length of two 

 feet and an half, and weigh abdut twenty-eight 

 or thirty pounds at mod, The head is finally 

 the under jaw a little longer than the upper : 



the 



