CHAPTER XV. 



THE HADDOCK Morrhua agleferius. Gill. 



This fish, though not properly an angler's fish, still for the same 

 reasons as the codfish, ought to be included here. It is a big and 

 heavy fish, with peculiar fins looking as if they had been trimmed. 

 Its mouth has numerous teeth and its eyes are large. There is a 

 strange story connected with the haddock. The tribute-takers of Ca- 

 pernaum demanded tribute of Simon j^eter and the Lord. The 

 apostle was told by the Lord : 



" Go thou to the sea and cast an hook and take up the fish that 

 first cometh up, and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt 

 find a piece of money, that take, ard give unto them for me and 

 thee." 



The apostle did as he was directed, and caught, according to the 

 tradition, a haddock, and while taking Ihe coin out of his mouth he 

 grasped it between his finger and thumb, and to this day the had- 

 dock bears the marks of the impress of the apostle's thumb and 

 forefinger. They are two black marks about the size of a three- 

 cent piece immediately behind the head, just where an angler to-day 

 would grasp a fish to extract the hook from its jaws. 



The haddock has a distinct black line running along its sides; the 

 same lateral line in the codfish is white. As regards coloration the 

 haddock is darker than the codfish. It is a more tasty fish also, and 

 is usually smoked before being brought to market. A celebrated 

 kind of smoked haddock comes from Scotland and they are known 

 as "finnan haddies." The haddock is caught principally in winter 



