710 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



ground. The regular scliool-fisb, on the contrary, is very light, with 

 smaller and more distinct spots on a lighter background, and has the 

 belly nearly white. Specimens of cod have also been seen in which the 

 whole upper surface of the body was of a uniform straw or lemon color, 

 gradually shading into lighter underneath. A fine specimen of the 

 above was secured in the summer of 1878, and is now in the National 

 Museum. 



3.— FOOD OF THE COD. 



A list of the stomach contents of the cod would be of little value, 

 except in throwing light on the food that the fish seem to prefer, by 

 showing the relative quantities of the different kinds. A full list, in- 

 cluding everything that has been found in the species, would be very 

 long, and embrace nearly everything, whether organic or inorganic, that 

 chanced to come in its way. Any bright or curious object often attracts 

 its attention, and is very likely to be swallowed by it. Thus knives, 

 nippers, and even vegetables lost or thrown from the vessel are fi'equeutly 

 found in the stomachs of the fish when they are being dressed. Stones, 

 too, are not uncommon at times, and over a pound has been taken from 

 a single fish. The list of fishes, articulates, and molhisks seems only 

 limited by the size of the indi'dduals or their ability to escape. But 

 while such a variety of food is found in the cod, its principal food is 

 limited to a few species of fish and a small number of mollusks. Among 

 the former the more important are the herring [Clupea harengus), capelin 

 {Mallotus I'illosus), laut {Ammodrjtes americanus), and a few otiiers. It 

 often follows these fish in their migrations, feeding upon and destroying 

 great numbers of them, and at times shows great dexterity in their cap- 

 ture. I am told that in the spring of 1879 an immense school of herring 

 made their appearance on and moved slowly across George's Bank, and 

 that with them came the largest school of cod that has been seen in 

 that locality for a long time. The cod remained constantly among the 

 herring, so that, when the latter had passed the fishing fleet, the ves- 

 sels were obliged to weigh anchor and follow them in order to secure the 

 cod. The cod also drive the capelin into the shoal water, and even upon 

 the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador, in immense numbers, and, 

 when they have reached the shallow bays, fishermen report the water as 

 fairly white from their splasjiings in their active and eager pursuit of 

 their prey. Among mollusks, squid [Ommastreplies iUecehrosa) and 

 the common bank-clams are their principal food, the former being pre- 

 ferred to any other species, and the latter often occurring in such quan- 

 tities in the stomachs of the fish that the French fishermen on Grand 

 Banks frequently catch a large part of their trip on bait secured in this 

 way. 



During the spawning season the cod-fish cease to search for food, and 

 give less attention to feeding than at other times, though they will 

 usually take the bait when placed before them. That they do not 

 search for food is shown by the fact . that the pasture-school remained 



