THE HADDOCK. 209 



Description Numerous on the Yorkshire coasts. 



regular undulated appearance of the sides, as if 

 they were ribbed. The glutinous parts about the 

 head lose their delicate flavor after the fish has 

 been twenty-four hours Out of the water. 



THE HADDOCK. 



THIS well-known fish is a species of the cod; 

 it has a bearded mouth, and three fins on the 

 back ; the upper jaw longest, and the tail a little 

 forked. On each side of the body, just beyond 

 ihe gills, there is a dark spot, which the super- 

 stitious assert is the impression of St. Peter's 

 finger and thumb, when he took the tribute 

 money (at the command of his master) out of 

 the mouth of a fish of this species, and which has 

 ever since been continued to the whole race of 

 haddocks. 



Immense shoals of this fish arrive on tha York- 

 shire coasts about the middle of winter ; which 

 are sometimes known to extend from the shore 

 near three miles in breadth, and in length from 

 Flamborongh head to Tinmouth castle, near fifty 

 miles, and perhaps even much farther north- 

 wards. The Rev. Mr. Bingley relates the fol- 

 lowing circumstance, in order to give an idea of 

 their numbers: "Three fishermen, within a mile 

 of the harbor of Scarborough, frequently loaded 

 their boat with them twice a day, taking each 

 time about a ton offish." The large ones qui; 



VOL. v. NO. 25. % D 



