112 ?ISH. 



THE WHITING. 



Merlangus vulgaris, Cuvier. 

 Gadus merlangus, Linnaeus. 



This delicious morsel is well known to surpass 

 in delicacy all the other species of its very valua- 

 ble family ; the fine firm flesh, so beautifully white, 

 and its lightness as an article of food, causes it to 

 be much sought after for invalids as well as more 

 general use. It is found all round the coasts of 

 Great Britain and Ireland, from the Orkneys to 

 Cape Clear. They are also very numerous on the 

 coast of France. 



Whiting are taken with lines all the year through, 

 but in the greatest quantities in January and Feb- 

 ruary, when they are in large shoals near the 

 shore, for the purpose of spawning; they are 

 found generally at from half a mile to three miles 

 from the shore, and are caught in such abundance 

 that, there not being a sufficient consumption for 

 them fresh, they are preserved either by drying or 

 salting. They are very greedy feeders, and eat the 

 fry of other fish, worms, Crustacea, and mollusca ; 

 sprats and pilchards have been found in the 



