38 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



many dangers to which they are continually exposed to 

 attain unusual dimensions. The cod among purely sea 

 fish appears to be an example of this. It has been 

 observed that wlien any newly-discovered cod-bank is 

 first worked some fish of remarkable size are pretty 

 sure to be cauglit. This was the case at Rockall, far out 

 on the Atlantic side of the Outer Hebrides ; and many 

 years ago it was so on the Newfoundland banks. But 

 monster cod five or six feet in length, as were at first 

 frequently iX'ported, are now very seldom met with. 

 Their rarity at the present day appears capable of 

 explanation without any necessity for supposing it to 

 be an indication of the ground being overfished. As 

 war is continually going on among fishes, and the 

 larger ones as constantly devouring the smaller, the 

 bigger a fish becomes the less danger it is in of being 

 eaten by the others ; it has fewer natural enemies to 

 encounter, and its chance of life under these conditions 

 is therefore better the longer it lives — of course, within 

 the natural limits of a cod's healthy existence. But 

 when the bank is visited by the fishei'man a new danger 

 arises, common to almost all sizes of fish, and to which 

 the monster is perhaps more exposed than any of its 

 smaller kindred. The fisherman's bait is likely to be 

 attractive to fish of various sizes, but the presence of a 

 big fish near it woidd most likely be sufficient to drive 

 the smaller ones away, and to ensure its getting posses- 

 sion of the tempting morsel to its own ultimate sorrow. 

 On the other hand, if the prize should be secured by one 

 of the more numerous smaller ones, the struggling cap- 

 tive itself becomes a conspicuous attraction, and lures 

 the patriarch to its fate. As already mentioned, hooks 

 on longlines are commonly used of such a size as can 

 be taken bv small lisli, and vet sufHcientlv strong to 



