COD, POLLOCK, HADDOCK AND HAKE. 347 
December 23, and was estimated to have 294 eggs to the grain, the ovaries 
weighing 12,540 grains; the total number, according to this calculation, 
is 3,686, 760. 
The result of Mr. Earll’s observations indicates that in June the 
fish hatched the previous winter, or about six months old, range from 
one and a half to three inches in length; while those from nine to 
thirteen inches long, and weighing seven or eight ounces, were eighteen 
months old; those seventeen to eighteen inches long, and weighing 
two to two and a quarter pounds, were supposed to be two years 
and a half old ; those of about twenty-two inches, which weighed four to 
five pounds, were three years and a half old. He also concludes that the 
male reaches maturity at the age of three, and female at the age of four 
years, for the smallest ripe male noticed during the season of 1878—’79 
weighed three and one-half pounds, and the smallest ripe female five 
pounds.* 
I have before me memoranda relating to a large number of enormous 
Codfish, taken along the New England coast at various times from 1830 
to 1879. It seems unnecessary to refer to them, excepting the cases of a 
few which exceed one hundred pounds in weight. Capt. King Harding, 
of Swampscott, tells me that he once caught, on the eastern side of Cape Cod, 
a fish weighing 101 pounds as it came from the water. On the 22d of 
July, 1873, Miss Fannie Belis, of St. Louis, while on a fishing excursion 
off Eastern Point, on board the yacht ‘‘ United States,’’ caught a Cod 
which weighed 130 pounds. Capt. G. H. Martin caught, off Chatham, a 
Codfish which weighed, dressed, 111 pounds. Capt. Stephen Mar, of 
Gloucester, saw a Codfish taken on George’s Banks in 1838, which, after 
having been eviscerated, weighed 136 pounds. Capt. Atwood says, on 
the coast of Cape Cod he has never seen a male Codfish, with one excep- 
tion, which weighed more than 60 pounds ; he once saw one, however, 
which weighed 160 pounds. This fish was not much larger than an ordinary 
fish weighing 75 pounds, but was very thick. 
Capt. Atwood remarks: ‘‘In regard to size, the Cod differs very widely 
in different localities. When taken on the Grand Banks it usually requires 
from thirty to forty to make a quintal when dried. Those caught in the 
Gulf of St. Lawrence with hand-lines are smaller, requiring seventy or 
* On pages 733-734 of Mr. Earll’s report may be found the measurements of a large number of Codfish of 
different weights, and with the ovaries and spermaries in different stages of development. These measure- 
ments are interesting, since they show the relation between the length and weight of individual fish. 
