MORRHUA. 191 



nute description of a fish so universally known as 

 the most valuable production of the sea to man. 

 The cod abounds on the whole coast of Massachu- 

 setts, but flourishes in the greatest vigor and abun- 

 dance still further north. 



Indeed, the cod-fishery, as adverted to in the 

 preliminary essay on the importance* of the fishe- 

 ries, in the commencement of this volume, has be- 

 come a business of national importance not only to 

 this, but in fact to many other countries, contrib- 

 uting alike to the support and prosperity of mil- 

 lions of people. Several towns in Massachusetts 

 are wholly indebted to this interesting branch of 

 industry for their wealth and increasing commer- 

 cial importance. 



The cod is gregarious, going in immense armies 

 from place to place, but remaining certain parts 

 of the season at particular localities, which afford 

 its appropriate food in greatest abundance ; sea 

 worms, small muscles and marine plants, are com- 

 mon on clear, sandy or rocky bottoms, and there 

 the cod is caught. 



It is wonderfully prolific ; Leuwenhoek announ- 

 ced the discovery of nine millions of eggs in a sin- 

 gle cod ! thirtysix thousand have been counted in 

 modern times. A French writer, in commenting 

 on this curious provision for maintaining the exist- 

 ence of the species, says that we have the assur- 



