SPECIMENS FOR THE HAND-LINE COMMITTEE. 495 



light gray above it. Light gray fins, with which it is ad- 

 mirably furnished for great fleetness. The scales are infini- 

 tesimal. The flavor of the fish is remarkably delicate, tender, 

 and sweet, without bones to trouble the epicure. 



THE LING. 



% 



This is a congener of the cod and haddock, belonging also 

 to the Gadidce family. It is a commercial fish, and taken on 

 the hand-line when fishing for cods, with menhaden, capelin, 

 spearing, or smelt as baits. It is a common coast fish, all 

 the way from Nantucket to the Georgian Bay. 



x\ 



GURNARD. Genus Trigla, Yarrell. 



This is a harbor channel fish, vulgarly known as the sea- 

 robin, because it croaks like a tree-toad. It is without scales, 

 but the top of its head and gill-edges are armed with prickly 

 bones, besides its spiked dorsals. Its long pectoral fins are 

 like wings ; and when lifted from the water, in lieu of a beau- 

 tiful kingfish or sea bass, the angler can hardly repress a 

 hard word for the bait-thief, which costs the anglers about 

 New York several thousand dollars annually for the bait it 



