GILPIN — ON THE COD FISH. 101 



-Art. XII. On the Food Fishes oe Nova Scotia, No. V. 

 By J. Bernard Gilpin, A. B., M. D., M. R. C. S. 



(Read May, 1867.) 



The Cod Family. 



Gadus Morhua^ (Lin., Gimther, Gill.) ? q-^^ n^.^ 

 Morhua Americanus, (DeKaj, Store r.) > 



Gadus OEgleJinus, (Lin., Gunther.) ^ 



Morlma (Eglefinus, (DeKay, Storer.) VThe Haddock. 



Melanogrammus Q^glefinus, (Gill.) ) 



Gadus Virens, (Lin., Gimther.) 



Gadus Carhonarius, (Richardson.) ! rp Pot t a rr 



Merlangus Carbonarius, (DeKay, Storer.) [ 

 *Pollachms Carbonarms, (Gill.) J 



Phyris Americanus, (Delvay, Storer, Gimther). ? rp HvrE 

 Physis Chuss, (Gill, Schoepf.) 5 



In my last papers which I have had the honour to read before 

 you, you will recollect that I gave you all the facts I could 

 collect on the herring, the gaspereaux, the mackerel, and the 

 salmon and trout family. There remains now, the cod family, 

 the halibut, and the shad, (which last is a congener of the 

 gaspereaux,) to complete the food fishes of Nova Scotia. The 

 subject of the present paper, will be the cod family — or the 

 Gadidos. Of this family we have four species, under two 

 genera, which from their abundance in our waters may be con- 

 sidered as food fishes. One or two other species occur, but not 

 in sufficient numbers to entitle them to this epithet. The com- 

 mon cod, the haddock, the hake and the pollack. Of all fish, 

 this family has played the most important part in the world's 

 history. The great northern sea kingdoms of Europe, the Eng- 

 lish, the French, and the Dutch, have from time immemorial pur- 

 sued this fishery, w^hich, commencing at their own door, and done 

 in fishing boats, has extended successively to Greenland, and the 

 North Sea, — to' the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, and to our 

 own shores. The fishing flats, have yielded to a vast mercantile 

 navy, riding out the roughest gales in mid ocean, and filling our 

 harbours with a forest of masts. Wars have been waged in this 



* Dr. Gill considers this fish identical ^^ith M. Perpureus of Storer, (see synopsis fishes 

 Bay of Fundy, &c.j If Storer's find DeKay's description are accurate, it cannot be 

 so, I have never met with it myself. 



