THE SEA FISHERIES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 175 



I have no doubt, however, that farther north, where the changes of temperature are 

 not so abrupt, they may spawn more irregularly, and have only an interval of a few 

 months when there is no spawning. 



Q. Will you describe this spawn so as to show the prolific nature of the fish ? — A. 

 The cod is one of the brag fish in regard to spawning. That is, we hear of ordinary 

 multiplication of fish by that process, but the cod has been found to contain from 

 three to seven million eggs by actual count. Turbot, I think, are one of the very 

 few fish that can beat it. They run up to twelve millions. 



Q. We do not have the real turbot ? — A. No ; from three to five million might be 

 considered a fair annual estimate of the eggs of the codfish. From three to five 

 millions of ripe eggs have been found in the ovary of one single cod, and more. 



Q. What becomes of these eggs when discharged ? — A. The question of the spawn- 

 ing places for codfish has been one that was originally very uncertain. The researches 

 of naturalists have shown that these eggs are discharged in the open sea on theLofo- 

 den Banks. Some miles from the shore they can be found floating at the surface, and 

 can be taken up by the bushel in towing nets. The eggs are very small, from one- 

 twentieth to one-fiftieth of an inch in diameter, and they have a small globule of oil 

 to make them float. 



Q. Now, do these eggs all produce fish unless they are injured in some way? — A. 

 No ; there are a great many contingencies. It is not likely that a very large percent- 

 age will be fertilized by the male. There is always an uncertainty about that. Then, 

 as they are floating in the water, every fish that may be fond of that kind of suste- 

 nance devours them very greedily, and by the time they are hatched out a largo 

 percentage is destroyed in this way. Then, the young fry, while in a helpless state, 

 are devoured in large numbers. I should think it extremely probable that not one 

 hundred thousand out of the three millions — possibly not ten thousand — attain to a 

 condition in which they are able to take care of themselves. It is entirely impossi- 

 ble to make any estimate. We know, however, from the analogy of other fish, from 

 the facts in regard to salmon, shad, and that kind of fish, we can make an approxi- 

 mation. 



Q. These eggs rise to the surface ? — A. They float at various distances from the 

 surface down. Some are a little heavier and some a little lighter. I mean that 

 they are not attached to the bottom. Their specific gravity is very nearly that of 

 the water. Of course when the water is cold they will float better, because the den- 

 sity is greater, but when the water is warm they will sink. 



By Hon. Mr. Kellogg: 



Q. Before you leave this subject, I would like to ask whether the spawn are visi- 

 ble in the ocean, that is cod spawn. What is the color ? — A. It is transparent, with 

 a little spot of oil in one corner. You would not notice it under ordinary circum- 

 stances, but you might if you were looking for it. 



Q. The ocean might be full and a common man would not see it ?— A. Certainly. 



By Mr. Dana : 



Q. Be kind enough now to tell us what are the principal modes of capturing 

 cod ?— A. The modes of capture vary with the region. For commercial purposes, 

 the fish are caught with hand-lines and the trawl-line, or long-line as it should be 

 called. It is taken very largely in gill-nets on the coast of Norway, and in some other 

 regions. I believe it is so taken on the coast of Labrador, but I don't think it is taken 

 frequently on our own coast in nets. 



Q. To what extent is the trawl-line used ?— A. It is used all over the world. It is 

 one of the oldest methods of catching fish. 



Q. From your investigation, do you think the capture of fish generally, or codfish, 

 or other kinds, by some contrivance like the trawl, is as ancient as any other ? — A. I 

 know it is. The Indians, the Aleutian Islanders have used them. 



