642 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



lower their tackle they can feel the leads hitting the backs of the fishes. Both there and off 

 the Faroe Islands and Iceland it is common practice to fish with a hook bearing a little piece 

 of polished lead on its shank, no other bait being required, owing to the cod being so numerous 

 that food is scarce. 



About the commencement of the fifteenth century the English began to go to Iceland 

 for cod, and since the si.xteenth century English cod-fishing vessels have visited Newfoundland 

 and other far northern waters, which produce fish superior to English cod. It should be 

 mentioned that the Cod Family is not found to any extent in tropical seas. 



While the Bl'RBoT is one of the few species of the group inhabiting fresh-water, and is 

 peculiar in living there permanently, there are instances recorded of POLLACK having ascended 

 from the salt water of the Norwegian fiords into fresh-water lakes, and it is an undoubted 

 fact that many other species of sea-fish can accustom themselves to a residence in fresh-water. 



All through the year cod frequent the British coasts ; but it is two or three months before 



Phtio h ir. SaviUi-Kint, F.Z. S.l 



[Milfard-on-Sra 



POLLACK- WHITING 



^ Bniish rcprcicntati-vc of the grmf in ivliich the loiver jaw is the longer and all the teeth of the upper jaiv are ofeijiial size 



the spawning-season, which commences in January or later according to the locality, that they 

 gather in vast shoals and come close inshore. First come the small codling of a pound or 

 so, and as the winter approaches the longshore fish arc found gradually to increase in size, 

 until by Christmas-time it is no uncommon thing on the east coast of England and Scotland 

 for fish of from 10 to 20 lbs. to be caught from the beach. 



y\s a rule the eggs of cod float, owing to a little globule of oil which each one contains, 

 but in water which lacks salinity they sink. The quantities of eggs shed by each fish are 

 enormous; nearly two millions were counted in a cod of a little \mder 12 'lbs. It is fairly 

 certain, however, that not more than two or three, if so many, mature fish are the product 

 of the two million eggs; for if each fish even doubled itself in numbers (if we may use the 

 expression) every year, the sea would soon contain more fish than water. Millions upon 

 millions of eggs are destroyed when there is an on-shore wind during the spawning-season. 

 Sometmies the shore on which they have been wafted has been seen to glisten with^'them. 



By the end of summer such of the young cod-fish as have escaped their many dangers 

 attain about I inch in length. They are very varied in colour, which depends on that of the 



