ABUNDANCE OF FISH ON NEW ENGLAND COAST. 169 



(^STortbamptoii, 18G3,) is a good article on " Tlie Shad and Salmon Fish- 

 ery " in Kew England, (pp. 313-318,) containing notices of " great hauls" 

 in the Connecticut, and facts respecting early fisheries collected from the 

 rec(n'ds and other manuscript authorities. 



You will observe that Josselyn (New England's Earities, 1G72, p. 96) 

 mentions the " Blew Fish, or Horse,'''' as '■U-onimon in New England, and 

 esteemed the best sort of Fish next to Kock Cod ;'' " as big usually as the 

 Salmon, and better meat by far." Elsev.^here (p. 24) he catalogues " two 

 kinds'' of " Blew Fish or Hound Fish," the " Speckled Hound Fish," [is 

 this the Weak iish, OfoHthus f] and the " Blew Hound Fish, called Horse 

 Fisli." I am inclined to think that Koger Williams's " Osacontuclc, a fat, 

 sweet fish, something like a haddock," may be the OtoUilim, though in 

 a note to the name. Key, p. 105, I suggested " pollack, whiting, or cusk." 

 Very truly, yours, 



J. HAMMOND TPvUMBULL. 



Professor Spencer F. Bated, 



Washington, J>. C. 



Documents relative to the colonial historij of New Yorlc, procured in Holland, 

 England, and France, by J. 21. Brodhead. Quarto, vol. iii, p. 182, 183. 

 Albany, 1853-1858. 



[Mr. Maverick to Colonel Nicolls.] 



New Yokk, July 5, 1669. 



* ****** 



Now giv^e mee leave to acquaint you a little how things goe heere at 

 Yorke. Tryalls have been made severall times this spring for cod fish, 

 w*'' very good success ; a small ketch sent out by y" Governour hath 

 found severall good fishing bancks ; amongst y*' rest one not above 2 or 



" The bream unci stnrgeou, drnin-lTsli, and gurnard, i 

 The sea-bass,- which a priuco would uot discard, 

 The cod and salmon, cooked with due regard. 

 Most palatable. 



" Tlie black and rock fish, herring, mackerel, 

 The haddock, mossbauker, and roach, which fill 

 The nets to loathing; and so many, all 

 Cannot be eaten. 



" And thus it happens here, that in the flood, 

 Which, rolling from the Fountain of all Good. 

 O'erwhelms weak, mortal man with royal food, 

 He is forgotten. 



" You've weak-fish, carp and turbot, pike and plaice ; 

 There's not a pool or tiny water-trace 

 Where swam not myriads of the finny race, 

 Easily taken. 



" Crabs, lobsters, mussels, oysters, too, there be, 

 So large, that one does overbalance three 

 Of those of Euroiie; and in quantity. 



No one can reckon. 



" The tortoise, seal, and shark; and, in your bay, 

 Tiit^ mighty whale and porpoise, sporting, they 

 The power, and wondrous works of God display. 

 For cur beholding." 



I i^ 



'Gurnard." ilurphy tliiiilcs this was cortaiuly tlio " porjiy." As the latter was not knov/n in 

 Europe, Steedam iiseil the name of the Euroijcan species wbidi most resembled it, (2Vif/Za hinmdo.) 

 It howevei' more probably refers to the sea-robin, {Frionotus.) 

 ^ The name Zeehaars is now applied in Holland to the representative of our striijcd bass. 



