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THE COD TRIBE*. 



THIS is a numerous tribe, inhabiting only the 

 depths of the ocean, and seldom visiting the 

 freih waters. They are in general gregarious, and 

 feed on the smaller fish and other marine animals. 

 The flesh of most of them is white, firm, and good 

 eating. 



The head in the Cod-fish is smooth ; and the 

 gill-membrane has seven rays. The body is oblong, 

 and covered with deciduous scales. The fins are all 

 covered with the common skin. The rays of the 

 fins are unarmed ; and the ventral fins are slender, 

 and terminate in a point. 



THE COMMON CODf. 



These fish are found only in the seas of the north- 

 ern parts of the world ; and the great rendezvous for 

 them are the sand-banks of Newfoundland, Nova 

 Scotia, and New England. These shallows are their 

 favourite situations j for here they are able to obtain 

 great quantities of worms, a food that is peculiarly 

 grateful to them. Another cause of their attach- 



* This tribe commences the second of the Linnsean orders of fishes, 

 the Jugular fish. 



t Synonyms.— Gadus morhua. Linn.— Cod-fish or Keeling^ 

 Raj. 



K 3 



