188 THE RIDDLE OF THE BURBOT 



XXXIV 



There exists in the eastward-flowing rivers of England, 



_ „_,, from the Yare of Norfolk to the Humber, 

 Tbe Riddle , ' 



oftLe including, the Trent and all its tributaries, a 

 fish called the burbot or, locally, the eel-pout. 

 It is remarkable as the only member of the Gadidce or 

 Cod family known to inhabit fresh water. It owes its 

 name of eel-pout (in Anglo-Saxon, celput) to its elongated 

 body and distended belly; while the long wattle or 

 barbule hanging from beneath the lower jaw explains 

 the old French name barbote — the bearded one — 

 whence the English 'burbot.' The barbel (Barbus 

 vulgaris) is also named from four similar appendages 

 hanging from the upper lip (French, barbeau), but 

 belongs to quite a different family — the Carps. In 

 appearance the burbot bears a general resemblance to 

 its near relative, the ling, and its flesh is highly 

 esteemed by those who have acquaintance with it; 

 Leonard Mascall, to whom further reference will be 

 made presently, describes it as 'a pleasant meate.' 

 Although living and feeding on the bottom the burbot 

 is furnished with a long air-bladder. In England it 

 is seldom taken weighing more than 2 lb. to 3 lb., 

 though Pennant talks of one from the Trent weighing 

 8 lb. ; but in continental waters it runs to far greater 

 size, being one of those creatures of a nature so plastic 

 as to adapt their dimensions to accord with the food 

 supply. Burbot of 30 lb. weight have been reported as 

 taken in the Rhine, and of far greater weight in the 

 rivers of Alaska, 



