ABDOMINAL MALACOPTERYGII. 149 



the Cod, but by far the greatest portion is used as 

 manure. The object of this periodical approach to 

 the land, is the deposition of the spawn. If closely 

 observed, every female is seen to be escorted by two 

 males, one on each side, which press close to her, 

 and thus the three rush up upon the beach. It is 

 universally asserted by the fishermen, that the spawn 

 is squeezed from the female by the mechanical pres- 

 sure of the two males; but we doubt if anything 

 more can be safely asserted, than that the males 

 attach themselves thus closely to impregnate the 

 roe as soon as it is excluded. The Capelin, though 

 small, is a very beautiful fish: contrary to what 

 usually prevails, the male is the larger, but he 

 rarely exceeds seven inches in length; the general 

 colour is a silvery white, with opaline reflections, and 

 the back of the male is olive, studded, when alive, 

 with numberless sparkling points of golden green, 

 as if dusted with precious stones. The shoals are 

 voraciously pursued to the beaches, not only by the 

 Cod, and other fishes, but by various species of 

 Cetacea. 



FAM. V. CLUPEAD^E. 



The members of this family resemble those of the 

 preceding in many important particulars, but are 

 at once distinguished from them by wanting the 

 adipose fin. They are chiefly marine fishes, but a 

 few of the species ascend rivers. 



