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THE TOM-COD. 



The TomrCod or Frost-Fish. — This is a small species of 

 the cod, that runs up the rivers in the vicinity of the ocean, 

 and ia found both in this country and many parts of Europe. 

 Although not much of an angle fish, he affords, with the floun- 

 der, a pan mess for the angler in the vicinity of Boston and 

 New-York, in the pleasant days of April and November, 

 when the basse fishing season is over. 



Smith says — " The tom-cod may be recognized by three 

 dorsal fins, two anal, three abdominal, two pectoral. The 

 abdominal are small and slender, being before the pectoral, 

 as it respects the head ; under the tip of the under lip is one 

 short, stump-like cirrus. The caudal fin is broad, and rounded 

 at the extremity. Teeth fine, both in the throat and jaws ; 

 white, small and plump tongue ; the lateral line bearing up- 

 wards. Its color varies at different seasons of the year, from 

 a rich orange to a light greenish yellow, shaded by a dark 

 brown on the back, and gradually becoming light or yellow 

 between the vent and the gills. It varies in length, from six 

 to fifteen inches, and weighs from a quarter to nearly two 

 pounds, depending, of course, on the age, sex and season. 

 In the north of Europe — admitting this to be the fish, which 

 at present cannot be doubted — they have been occasionally 

 known to exceed eight pounds. The spawning season ap- 

 pears to be in February ; in this climate, about the first of 

 May, they begin to take the hook." 



They are usually taken by the basse and tautog angler, 

 with the ordinary tackle, with the exception of the hook, 

 which should be a No. 9 black-fish, or No. 6 Kirby. When 

 pursuing this sport exclusively, a small flax line about fifty 

 feet in length, attached to a stiff rod, or in boat fishing, a me- 

 dium sired hand black-fish line, with small hooks attached 

 to flax or gut snell, will answer every purpose. 



