232 



COMMON COD. 



several inches, in the sides and timbers of ships. Thej 

 generally swim in pairs, consisting of a male and female 

 The female, about the month of June, produces her ova 

 which she conceals amongst marine plants in rocky part 

 of the sea. Sword-fishes are more common in the Medi 

 terranean Sea, than in any other parts of Europe. On th 

 Italian coast the fins are salted, and sold for food, unde 

 the name of callo. Their flesh is a coarse and stronj 

 food. 



The Sword-fish sometimes measures upwards of twenty 

 feet in length. Its snout projects to a great distance, i 

 compressed both above and below, and is sharp at th 

 point. The body is thickest near the head, and tapers 

 gradually from thence to the tail. The dorsal fin 

 scythe-shaped, and the tail exactly in the form of a cres 

 cent. The skin is rough, but very thin. The colour o 

 the back is dusky, and of the belly silvery. 



ORDER II. JUGULAR FISH. 



5. COD TRIBE. 



The species of Cod are extremely numerous, and thei 

 fecundity is beyond all calculation. The fishing for them 

 affords employment to many thousands of individuals in 

 different parts of the world. 



Common Cod. Immense shoals of Cod migrate at cer 

 tain seasons of the year to certain seas. On the celebrate( 

 bank of Newfoundland, which is considered to be a vas 

 submarine mountain, these fish are caught in enormou 

 quantities with hooks and lines, in a depth of water ex 



