i ;o 



THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



swallowed one of those mournful messages of shipwreck 

 which have recently been so numerous. 



Means of capture. Hand-lines, also long-lines. The 

 ling fishermen in Galway generally remain out a week, but 

 every night seek shelter in a harbour in Boffin Island. In 

 the north of Ireland ling and conger are generally fished 

 for at the same time. In the Orkneys the long-lines con- 

 tain several hundred hooks, placed at a certain distance 

 apart, baited at night, examined and re-baited the next 

 morning. It is by no means uncommon to find that dog- 

 fish and sharks have cleared the lines prior to the fisher- 

 men's visit. 



Baits. A slice of plaice, flounder, herring, conger, or 

 cuttle. Usually it refuses bait unless living or very fresh, 

 while it does not appear to be partial to Crustacea. 



Breeding. Spawns in spring up to June, Pennant ob- 

 serving that they "deposit their eggs in the soft oozy 

 ground at the mouth of the Tees ; and at that time the 

 males separate from the females, and resort to some rocky 

 ground near Flamborough Head, where the fishermen take 

 great numbers, without ever finding any of the females or 

 roed fish among them." After spawning, they remain out 

 of condition till about August. 



Uses. When salted, ling is a considerable article of 

 commerce, especially with Spain and Italy. When in 

 season the liver is of a white colour, and affords a large 

 amount of oil, which is used for lamps, medicinal, or other 

 purposes. Their roe is consumed as food, or preserved in 

 brine, and is often employed for attracting other marine 

 fishes to localities where their capture would be facilitated. 

 From the sounds or air-bladders of this fish a considerable 

 amount of coarse isinglass is manufactured, similar to that 

 obtained from the cod. Ling split for curing should not 



