146 BRITISH FISH AND FISHERIES. 



of sixty pounds, caught in the Bristol Channel. 

 Such overgrown fish, however, are very indif- 

 ferent. In some of the salt water ponds of 

 Scotland cod-fish are kept, as in a sort of pre- 

 serve ; they are properly supplied with food, 

 and kept in good condition, but we believe they 

 do not breed. 



The coasts of the British islands abound 

 with vast shoals of the haddock, which wander 

 about in quest of food, but they never make 

 their way either into the Baltic or the Medi- 

 terranean. The haddock (Morrhua ceglefinus) 

 never equals the cod-fish in size, being seldom 

 more than two or three pounds in weight, 

 though instances of this fish weighing ten and 

 even sixteen pounds are on record. The 

 breeding season is February and March. Had- 

 docks are caught by trawl-nets, and also by 

 hand-lines, by which means great numbers are 

 taken for the different markets, those of London 

 being largely supplied by the Yarmouth fisher- 

 men. The haddock is too well-known to need 

 description ; it is remarkable for the black 

 mark on each side of the back. 



A fish, called the pont, or whiting pont, the 

 smeltie, the bib, the kleg, and blinds, in different 

 counties, (Morrhua lusca,) is common in most 

 parts along our coast, being often in abundance, 



