196 GADITES. 



" Such, however, is the fecundity with which 

 the All-wise has endowed this race, that if but one 

 female annually escaped, and her eggs were safely 

 hatched, the species would be effectually preserv- 

 ed. This is not so surprising when we recollect 

 that the ovaries of each female contain not fewer 

 than 9,344,000 eggs, as has been ascertained by 

 careful and repeated observation. Few members 

 of the animal creation contribute a greater mass of 

 subsistence to the human race ; still fewer are 

 more universally serviceable than the cod-fish, of 

 which every part is applied to some useful pur- 

 pose. 



" When fresh, its beautifully white, firm and 

 flaky muscles furnish our tables with one of the 

 most delicious dainties ; salted, dried, or otherwise 

 conserved for future use, it affords a substantial 

 and wholesome article of diet, for which a substi- 

 tute could not readily be found. The tongue, 

 which is always separated from the head when 

 the fish is first caught, even epicures consider a 

 delicacy ; and tongues, salted or pickled along 

 with the swimming-bladders, which are highly nu- 

 tritious, being almost entirely pure gelatine, are 

 held in much estimation by house-keepers, under 

 the title of tongues and sounds. 



" The sound or swimming bladder of codfish, if 

 rightlj prepared, supplies an isinglass equal to the 



