FISHES. 613 
The Greenlanders usually replace the hempen cords by thongs of 
whalebone or narrow bands of shark’s skin. At the end of twenty 
hours these lines are drawn home, and it is not at all unusual to find 
five or six large holibuts caught on the hooks. PLaTE XXVII. 
represents the native mode of fishing for holibut in the Greenland 
Seas. 
Another mode of capturing this and other flat-fish is to spear 
them on their sandy beds. ‘No rule can be laid down,” says Dr. 
Bertram, “for this method of fishing. It is carried on successfully 
by means of a common pitchfork, but some gentlemen go the length 
of fine spears made for the purpose, very long, and with very sharp 
prongs. Others, again, use a three-pronged farmyard graip, which 
has been known to do as much real work as more elaborate single 
points contrived for the purpose. The simplest directions I can give 
is just to spear every fish you see.” M. Figuier adds, as a caution, 
that before attacking these fishes, body to body, it is necessary to 
wait till they are somewhat exhausted, otherwise they might overturn 
both bark and fisherman. 
The Greenlanders cut the animal up, and salt the pieces ; then 
expose them to the air, in order to dry them, preparatory to a long 
voyage. 
_ In its fresh state the holibut is not very delicate, and is hard 
and difficult of digestion ; however, its great size renders it a 
valuable prize. We may add that, notwithstanding its large 
dimensions, the holibut has deadly enemies in the dolphins, as 
well as in the birds which prey upon fishes on the shore. It is 
itself a voracious fish, devouring crabs, cod-fish, and even rays, not 
even sparing its own species, for they sometimes attack each other, 
nibbling at one another’s tails or fins. 
The Gadidze embrace the whole of the Linnzan genus Gadus. 
They are found mostly in the seas of cold or temperate regions in 
both hemispheres, and are the objects of pursuit for which the great 
fisheries of Europe and America are established. They are known 
by the position of the ventral fin under the throat, and by the pointed 
character of these fins. The body is long and slightly compressed ; 
the head well proportioned. Their fins are soft, and their scales are 
small and soft. The jaws have unequal-pointed teeth of moderate 
size, which are disposed in several rows. ‘The gill-covers are large, 
and consist of seven rays. Most of the species have the dorsal fin, 
and two other unpaired fins besides, namely, a ventral and an anal 
fin. The stomach is large and the intestine long. The air-bladder 
large and strong, and in some cases notched on the margin, The 
