516 THE GADUS POL'TASSOU. 



to the poor fishermen residmg in the Scandinavian Skilr- 

 gardar, for let the weather he ever so had, these fish may 

 always he captured amongst the islands, and the men and 

 their families can therefore never stand in need of a meal. 

 Their capture, moreover, gives ample occupation, not 

 onlv to the aijed and infirm, hut to women and children, 

 whole boat-loads of whom are often seen to be thus 

 employed. The Whiting, in Scandinavia, aS in other 

 countries, is in considerable request for the table. 



The Gadus Fotttassou, Risso {Kolnmle-UoUling, Sw. ; 

 Kiilmule, Kolmun, Norw., in both languages meaning 

 black-mouth), whose proper home is said to be the Medi- 

 terranean, is by no means rare in the Christiania Fjord, 

 and on the western coast of Norway, but seems not to 

 have been identified either in the Sound or in the Baltic ; 

 neither is mention made of it by Kroyer as being an 

 inhabitant of the Danish seas. This fish, whose usual 

 length is from ten to eighteen inches, has the general 

 characters of the Common Whiting, but the lower jaw 

 projects beyond the upper, the back is darker, and the eye 

 nearly double the size of that in the Common Whiting. 

 It is said to be a Stuml-fisk, or one that is stationary 

 in the Scandinavian seas all the year round. According 

 to the Bergen fishermen, it is often found at a depth of 

 from eighty to one hundred fathoms, and never goes into 

 shallow water. Ptisso, who was the first, I believe, to 

 describe it, informs us that it spawns early in the spring ; 

 but Northern ichthyologists are unacquainted with its 

 breeding and other habits. Its flesh, though somewhat 

 flabby, is said to be well-flavoured. 



The Pollack {Blank-sej, Sw.; Lyr-Torsk, Sw. & Norw.*; 



* The Norwegian designation, acoording to Pontoppidan, is Z^ss«, which 

 may not improbably be of the same root as the Scotch name Lythe, abont 

 the origin of which Yarrell is unable to afford positive information. 



