THE COD. 145 



man manages two of such lines, and the num- 

 ber of fish taken by the fishermen of a single 

 vessel is often very great. Mr. Yarrell says, 

 that he was told by the master of fishing 

 vessels trading for the London market, that 

 eight men, fishing under his orders, off the 

 Doggefbank, in twenty-five fathoms of water, 

 have taken eighty score of cod in one day. 



The cod, after their capture, are transferred 

 to well-boats, which come up the river as high 

 as Gravesend, with the fish alive, the water 

 being so far sufficiently brackish. From this 

 depot they are sent, by speedy conveyance, to 

 Billingsgate. The salted sounds, or air-blad- 

 ders of the cod, are sold in the London market, 

 and salted cod is well-known. 



Cod-fish is in perfection from the end of 

 October to Christmas ; the breeding season is 

 in February, and nine millions of eggs have 

 been found in the roe of a single female. 

 During the summer and autumn, young cod-fish 

 abound around our shores, and advance up the 

 estuary of the Thames ; they acquire a length 

 of twelve or fifteen inches before winter ; num- 

 bers are taken by means of lines. 



Large cod-fish are not uncommon ; Pennant 

 records one of the weight of seventy-eight pounds, 

 caught at Scarborough ; and Mr. Yarrell, one 



