SOFT-FINNED FISHES. 29 



many times taken above one hundred in a tide, though of late 

 years these fish have become scarce in those waters, it being 

 supposed that their enemy, the Blue Fish, by preying on their 

 young, have caused the scarcity." 



It is scarcely necessary, I presume, to remark that no such 

 feats are to be performed now-a-days ; and he is a happy and an 

 envied man, who succeeds at present in capturing a few brace 

 of this delicious Game Fish. 



I now come to the last section of my work, the deep-sea 

 fishes, very few of which are worthy of remark in connection 

 with the angler's sport, although they all are of superior excel- 

 lence as dainties. 



These are all soft-finned fishes, but they form a separate class 

 of the Malacopterygii, owing to a peculiar arrangement of their 

 fins, the bones supporting the ventrals being attached to the 

 shoulders which support the pectorals, whence they have obtained 

 the terra sub-brachial. 



To this class of sub-brachial Malacopterygii belong the two 

 families of Gadida and Pleuronedidce, Cod and Flat-fish, to one 

 or other of which pertain all the species which are taken by the 

 drop-line on our coast ; a sport which is almost too dirty, as 

 well as too laborious, to be in very truth a sport. 



Of the family Gadid^, of which the Cod is the type, we have 

 The Common Cod [Morrhua Vulgaris). 

 The Haddock [Morrhua JEglefinis). 

 The Whiting {Merlangus Americanus). 



And although there are several other species of more or less 

 estimation for the table, as the Torsk or Tusk [BrosmiusVulgaris), 

 the Hake {Merhicius Vulgaris), and some others, none but 



