GENUS POLLACHIUS NILSSON 



The Pollacks 



Body rather elongate, covered with minute scales; mouth 

 moderate or large, the lower jaw projecting, barbel very small 

 or obsolete; villiform teeth on vomer, none on palatines; teeth 

 in jaws equal, or the outer slightly enlarged; gill-membranes 

 more or less united; subopercle and postclavicle not enlarged and 

 not ivory-like; dorsal fins 3; anal fins 2; caudal lunate; vent under 

 first dorsal. 



This genus contains i species, P. vi'rens, the common pollack, 



coal-fish or green cod, which is common northward on both 

 coasts of the Atlantic. It ranges as far south as France and Cape 

 Cod, or even as far as New York on our coast. In the northern 

 parts of its range the pollack is abundant, and at times it is quite 

 common as far south as Cape Cod. It reaches a length of more 

 than 3 feet and a weight of 25 pounds or more. As a food-fish 

 it is not highly esteemed on our coast, partly, no doubt, on account 

 of the fact that it destroys better fish. It is very destructive to 

 the young cod, surrounding the schools and driving the fish to 

 the surface where they fall a prey to the voracious pollacks attacking 

 them from below and hundreds of screeching sea-gulls which with 

 astonishing voracity and precision pounce upon them from above. 



The pollack is very productive. According to Mr. E. R. Earll, 

 a fish 3 feet 3^ inches long and weighing 2^^ pounds contained 

 4,029,200 eggs and one of 13 pounds produced 2,569,753 eggs. 

 The eggs, of course are very small. They are buoyant, floating at 



509 



