THE POLLACK. 517 



Luhhe, Dan. ; Gadus FoUachius, Linn.) was common in 

 the Bolius Skargard and Cattegat, as also on the Nor- 

 wegian coast, fully as high uj) as Sundmor, lat. 62°. 

 But in the Sound it would seem to be somewhat scarce ; 

 and the like is the case as regards the Baltic, to the more 

 southern parts of which it is, I ])eliev'e, confined. Its 

 usual length is from eigtheeu to twenty-four inches, but it 

 attains to upwards of three feet. Though often met with 

 alone, or in small companies, it at times goes in large 

 shoals. Kroyer mentions having been present, on the 

 IGth May, 1834, near Fredericia, in Jutland, when from 

 six Imndred to seven hundred of these fish were taken 

 at a single haul of the net. Its food consists chiefly of 

 small fishes, such as the launces, the gobies, or the young 

 of larger fish. 



Like the Whiting, it commits great havoc amongst the 

 young herrings, called by the fishermen Sill-mar, to seize 

 which it often comes up to the surface. During these 

 attacks of the Pollack, one sees whole swarms of herrings 

 leap out of the water to avoid their enemies, who, in their 

 turn, vault equally high to secure their prey. From tlie 

 noise thereby created, and the turmoil in the water, the 

 fishermen are made aware of tlie approach of the Pollack, 

 and on casting out their nets, are always sure of a good 

 capture. So long as the herrings remain on the coast, 

 the Pollack stays, but on the herrings retiring to the deep, 

 the Pollack also disappears. One, nevertheless, meets 

 with young individuals during the whole autumn near 

 the shore, but these are never taken in the same numbers 

 as the adults during the summer months. 



Little is knottu to Northern naturalists regarding the 

 breeding habits of this fish ; but it would appear to spawn 

 in the early part of summer, Kroyer having found the 

 eggs of the female greatly developed at the end of May ; 

 and he therefore questions the accuracy of li. Fries' 



