?>40 'THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. Vli. 



many localities, disks are dried and cured with codfish, and 

 fetch a better price than the latter in the West Indian market. 

 There are two sjDecies of cusk in the St. Lawrence, but their 

 geographical range has not yet been accurately defined, and I 

 am not sure which of the two kinds is the one most frequently 

 used. 



Halibut. — Hipj-togJossus Groenlnndiniii ? Gunther. Ilij^po- 

 gJos.ms Americaniis, Gill. 



The Canadian halibut are said to frequent the outer banks in 

 winter and the inshore fishing grounds in spring and summer. 

 They feed on shells, crabs, lobsters, sculpin, <fec., and can hardly 

 be caught in quantity except by trawling. They are highly 

 prized by inland consumers, and fetch a comparatively high price. 

 About August halibut are caught in large numbers to the north 

 of Anticosti. They are generally sold by draught (of 224 pounds) 

 and sent to Quebec, 



Flounder, — Flenronedes Americanu^, Walb. Gunther. 

 Pseudopleuronectes Americamis, Walb., sp. Gill. 



A common fish everywhere in the Gulf, and occasionally ex- 

 posed for sale in the markets at Halifax, Nova Scotia. 



Smelt. — Osmerus viridescenff, Lesuer. Gunther. Osments 

 mordax. Mitchell. 



This delicious little fish is, or may be, taken abundautl}^ 

 throughout the Gulf all the year round. In Gaspe Bay smelts 

 are caught in winter like tommy cods, through holes in the ice. 

 In New Brunswick and Nova Scotia smelts are exported to New 

 York and Boston. The species appears to spawn in April and 

 May, and extends up the Biver St. Lawrence, at least as high 

 as Quebec, in the spring and autnmm. 



Capelin. — Mallotus villosus, Mull, kc. 



The habitual use of this fish as manure, along the coast, is 

 considered objectionable, as it tends to drive the cod further out 

 to sea. 



Herring. — 67»^;m. h'lrrngti.s, Linn. Gunther. Chipca 

 eloitgata, Lesuer. Gill. 



In Gaspe last year the first herring of the season appeared 

 about the 25th of April. The fishing began about the 10th of 

 May and lasted until about the 25th of June, after which capelin 

 struck in for a week or perhaps eight or nine days. The " drift- 

 ing" season in and just outside of Gasp^ Bay usually commences 

 about the middle of June, and lasts to the end of July. At 



