CHAPTER XII. 



THE BERG ALL Tautogoldbt^us adspersus: 



This fish has earned, and deservedly, much opprobrium on: a good 

 many accounts. It is a very small fish, only in very rare instances- 

 reaching a pound's weight. The general color is blueish on the dor- 

 sal, merging into a greenish hue beneath. Different size* vary- 

 greatly in color. Some bergalls are brownish, some blue,, some 

 green ; the largest have an orange tint about the gill covers. The 

 eye is not large and the mouth, in which there is a plentiful supply 

 of sharp teeth, is small and bordered with thick lips like the black- 

 fish. In the dorsal fin are several very sharp spines likely to inflict 

 a severe wound unless the angler is careful. 



The strong scales of this fish are almost impossible to take off if 

 once allowed to dry. A dip in sharp vinegar will render the task 

 of dressing the bergall easier. The bergall is a vicious looking 

 little fish ; has a mean face. 



This fish is very plentiful about New York, and is caught about 

 rocks and sunken timbers. The bergall is an invariable co-dweller 

 with the blackfish ; his great delight, and, indeed, it seems to be the 

 only purpose in life, is to steal as much bait as he can swallow, and 

 f am inclined to believe that when he is unable to eat any more he 

 takes the bait off the hook in mere wantonness and throws it away- 



I would advise all anglers who have caught a lot of bergalls ia 

 their day's outing not to go to the trouble of taking them away and* 

 cooking them, unless of more than usual size. The best thing to do- 

 is to cut them up with the bait knife and throw them overboard 

 (what fishermen call "baiting the spot"), thus serving as aa attrac- 



