112 FISHING GOSSIP. 



Veteran. Eight, if he's an ounce ; these fish are 

 very thick-set, and weigh heavy for their length. 



New Chum. Thick-set with a vengeance (feeling 

 JisJi) ; why, I can't grasp him with the utmost span 

 of both hands ! Peste ! I've pricked my fingers. 



Veteran. Ah ! now you see (or rather feel) why 

 he has been properly styled the cod-perch. His dorsal 

 fin is worth your looking at. In fact he has two con- 

 fluent dorsals ; the anterior, with eleven spiny rays, 

 like that of our English perch, though sharper, as 

 your fingers can testify ; the other immediately be- 

 hind it, much lower, with more numerous soft rays. 

 For the rest, his skin you will see is mottled olive 

 and white, like that of our British Gadidse, and slimy 

 like. . . . Holloa there ! look out you've got a 

 fish ; haul in. 



New Chum. Why the line hangs quite slack. 



Veteran. Ay, because he has turned and run in 

 towards you. But he was running fast enough just 

 now ten to one he has gorged the bait. 



New Chum. I have him, sure enough and here 

 he comes, a pretty fish, though not so big as yours ; 

 he will turn five pounds I am sure. Could we have 

 him for dinner? I feel a savage inclination to make 

 a meal of my own captive. 



Veteran. By all means we will send both the 

 fish ; there will be several guests at the station to- 

 night, and they rarely taste fish, though living close 



