552 THE OCEAN WORLD. 



again, use a three-pronged farmyard graip, which has heen known to 

 do as much real work as more elaborate single points contrived for 

 the purpose. The simplest directions I can give is just to spear every 

 fish they see." M. Figuier adds, .as a caution, that before attacking 

 these fishes, body to body, it is necessary to wait till they are somewhat 

 exhausted, otherwise they might overturn both bark and fisherman. 



The Greenlanders cut the animal up, and salt the pieces ; then expose 

 them to the air, in order to dry them preparatory to a long voyage. 



In its fresh state the halibut is not very delicate, and is hard and 

 difficult of digestion ; however, its great size renders it a valuable 

 prize. We may add that, notwithstanding its great size, the halibut 

 has deadly enemies in the dolphins, as well as in the birds which prey 

 upon fishes on the shore. It is itself a voracious fish, devouring 

 crabs, cod-fish, and even the Raiadse, not even sparing its own species ; 

 they attack each other, nibbling at the tail or fins. 



III. GADID^E. 



The Gadidae embrace the whole of the Linnsean genus Gadus. 

 They are found mostly in the seas >of cold or temperate regions in 

 both hemispheres, and are the objects of pursuit for which the great 

 fisheries of Europe and America are established. They are known by 

 the position of the ventral fin under the throat, and by the pointed 

 character of those fins. The body is long and slightly compressed ; 

 the head well proportioned. Their fins are soft, and their scales are 

 small and soft. The jaws and front of the as vomer have unequal- 

 pointed teeth of moderate size, and disposed in several rows. The 

 gill-covers are large, and consist of seven rays. Most of the species 

 have the dorsal fin, and contain two others besides a fin behind the 

 vent, and a distant caudal fin. The stomach is large, and the intestine 

 long. The air-bladder large and strong, and in some cases notched on 

 the margin. The flesh of most of the species yields white, healthy, 

 and agreeable food, easily separable into flakes when cooked, and easy 

 of digestion. The family includes the several genera : MORRHUA, 

 to which belongs the Common Cod-fish, If. callarias ; the Haddock, 

 M. deglefinus. The MERLANGUS, or Whiting, M. vulgar is, and M. 

 albus ; the Coal-fish, M. carbonarus ; and the Pollack, M. pollachius. 

 The MERLUCIUS, or Hakes. The LOTA, or Ling, L. molva. 



