452 Fishes. 



sumption and exportation. On the eastern coasts of 

 England they are in their greatest perfection from the 

 beginning of February to the end of May. They spawn 

 in June : at this season, the males separate from the 

 females, who deposit their eggs in the soft oozy ground 

 at the mouth of large rivers. 



In a commercial point of view, the Ling may be con- 

 sidered a very important fish. Nine hundred thousand 

 pounds weight are annually exported from Norway. In 

 England, these fish are caught and cured in somewhat 

 the same manner as the cod. Those which are caught 

 off the shores of America are by no means so much es- 

 teemed as those which frequent the coasts of Great Bri- 

 tain and Norway ; and the Ling in the neighbourhood 

 of Iceland are so bad, that the inhabitants are unable to 

 find a sale for them in any country except their own. 

 The roe and air-bladders, or sounds of the Ling, are 

 pickled, and sold separately. 



THE HAKE, (Gadus merluccius,) 



Is a coarse fish, nearly allied to the Ling, and is caught 

 in great abundance on the Devonshire and Cornwall 

 coast. It is also found on the coasts of Ireland and 

 Scotland, where it is called otock-fish, and is often con- 

 founded with ood. 



