ENGLISH WHITE FISHERIES. 



as well as for home confumption. When it is cut 

 or fplit for curing, it muil meafure 26 inches or up- 

 wards from the fhoulder to the tail ; if lefs than that 

 it is not reckoned a fizeable fifh, and confequently 

 not entitled to the bounty on exportation; fuch 

 are called drizzles, and are in feaibn all fummer. 

 The ufual fize of a ling is from 3 to 4 feet; but fome 

 have meafured 7 feet. 



HADDOCKS. The haddock, the whiting, and the 

 mackarel, are thought, by fome, to be driven upon 

 our coafts rather by their fears than their appetites ; 

 and it is to the purfuit of the larger fifties, we owe 

 their welcome vifits. It is more probable, that they 

 come for that food which is found in greater plenty 

 near the fhore, than farther out at fea. One thing 

 is remarkable, that their migrations feem to be regu- 

 larly conducted. The grand fhoal of haddocks that 

 comes periodically on the Yorkfhire coafts, ap- 

 peared there in a body on the loth of December, 

 1766 ; and exactly on the fame day, in the follow- 

 ing year. Thefe Ihoals extended from the fhore 

 near 3 miles in breadth; and in length from the Flam- 

 borough Head to the mouth of the Tyne below New- 

 caftle, being 80 miles, and poffibly much farther 

 northwards. The limits of this great body from the 

 fhore are precifely known ; for if the fifhermen put 

 down their lines at the diftance of more than 3 miles 

 from (hore, they catch nothing but dog-ftlh : a proof 

 that the haddock is not there. 



Within the diftance of a mile from Scarborough 

 harbour, three fifhermen have frequently loaded 

 their coble with them twice a day, taking each time 

 about a ton of fifh. 



The beft haddocks have been fold from 12 to 1 8 

 pence per fcore, and the poor had the fmaller fort at 

 a penny, and fometimes a halfpenny per fcore. 



The large haddocks quit the coaftas foon as they go 

 .out of feafon, and leave behind great plenty of fmall 

 ones. It is faid that the large ones vifit the coafts 



of 



