254 SALT-WATER FISHES 



sprats and sand-eels — the former in winter, the latter in the 

 warm season— and as a rule it hunts its prey in mid-water 

 over a rocky bottom. Sometimes, particularly on warm 

 summer evenings, it takes a bait close to the surface, and 

 even on sandy ground ; and the writer has caught many of 

 12 lb. and more in weight in less than 30 fixthoms of 

 water and within 5 miles of the Cornish beaches. Pollack, 

 normally rather cautious fish, often bite with extraordinary 

 fury just before a thunderstorm, and the Cornish fishermen 

 say that the fish know beforehand the coming change in the 

 weather, and are anxious to feed and go off to the deeper 

 water before the squall. As no one, either professional or 

 amateur, ever thinks of waiting to fish during the raging of 

 the storm, the statement is one that does not admit of much 

 criticism. Sluggish or headstrong, however, the pollack 

 always behaves in the same way as soon as it feels the hook, 

 for it dashes straight for the rocks beneath, trying its best 

 to break the tackle. 



In colour this fish is of a deep olive-green — in large 

 specimens this deepens to black — -along the back and upper 

 half, shading off somewhat abruptly to white beneath, the fins 

 having very dark margins. The lower jaw protrudes, and the 

 chin has no barbel. The eye is large. The lateral line is 

 curved and well marked. Like those of all the members 

 of the family, the fins of the pollack have no spines of any 

 sort, and the fish may therefore be handled without fear. 

 Cornish fishermen often dispense with the gaff and dip their 

 hand under the fish as soon as it is brought to the surface. 



The spawning-time of the pollack is not very satisfactorily 

 settled, but, as Cunningham has found small pollack measuring 

 nearly an inch (and presumably about six weeks old) in April, 

 March or a little earlier may be regarded as the season, so far 

 as the English Channel is concerned. In the northern waters 

 of both Scotland and Ireland, however, there is reason to 

 believe that the pollack does not spawn before May. 



