148 VERTEBRATA. PISCES. 



We must also notice here, a beautiful, but little 

 known fish, the Capelin, (Mallotus* Grcenlandicus,) 

 closely allied to the Salmon genus ; but marked by 

 having small teeth resembling the pile of velvet, on 

 the jaws, palate, and tongue : the body clothed with 

 small scales; the dorsals and ventrals both behind 

 the middle ; the pectorals large and round, and 

 almost meeting beneath. During the spawning sea- 

 son, the flank of the male is furnished with a project- 

 ing row of long narrow raised scales, resembling 

 hairs. This little fish is important, as furnishing, 

 during the season, a large proportion of the bait 

 used in the Cod-fisheries of Newfoundland and La- 

 brador. About the end of June, the Capelin come 

 in shoals into the harbours of Newfoundland, press- 

 ing up to the shingles and sand beaches, in order to 

 deposit their spawn. At these times, we have seen 

 the water for many yards from the shore, literally 

 alive with them, so that a bucket dipped in at ran- 

 dom, is sure to be withdrawn half filled with the 

 fish ; while the beach itself is covered with the skip- 

 ping bodies of those left by the retiring wave. The 

 land is likewise a scene of animation ; hundreds of 

 the inhabitants throng to the shore, men, women, 

 and children, and even rush into the water to the 

 waist, armed with various implements of capture, 

 from the little pail to the broad casting net. Im- 

 mense numbers of the fish are thus taken, some of 

 which are dried in the sun for winter use, and expor- 

 tation ; more are used while quite fresh, as bait for 



of, mallotos, hairy, 



