GREA T BRIT A IN. 131 



fisheries. It was observed that near Christmas unusual 

 numbers of small fishes appear on the banks off the north- 

 west of Norway, and before long the cod-fish make their 

 appearance ; soon the other and smaller forms decrease in 

 number, until at last it appears as if only cod were present. 

 The first comers (species doubtful) are termed the " an- 

 nouncing fish " by the fishermen, as they are the advanced 

 guard of the large army which begins to appear about the 

 middle of January, and continues arriving in schools, con- 

 sisting of milters and spawners, until the middle of March. 

 In other years they may even commence arriving as late as 

 March, the period varying with the weather, as they come 

 in earlier when it is mild, with a south-westerly wind, than 

 when it is cold, with north-easterly gales. During a good 

 season they are described as forming " mountains of fish," 

 but frequently none can be captured at this period, either 

 with seines or lines ; the fishermen say they keep quiet 

 until a new school arrives and drives them forward, their 

 quiescence being probably due to the coldness of the water 

 as compared with that at the depths from which they have 

 left. They are found to keep nearest the bottom in coldest 

 weather, while the fishermen (at least in certain localities 

 where the current is not too strong) use floats to keep their 

 nets or lines some distance from the ground ; consequently, 

 such lines as are suspended at both ends only have the 

 central portion reaching the bottom, while the remainder 

 gradually approaches the surface, and thus cod are taken 

 at often twenty or thirty fathoms from the ground. On 

 leaving the coast of Norway they seem either to go direct 

 out to sea, or along the western shores, their course appear- 

 ing to depend considerably upon the temperature of the 

 water. They consume small fish, as the young of their 

 own kind or any they can obtain, but are especially partial 



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