THE COD: COMMON NAMES. 201 



The name by which this species was known among the Narragansett Indians is indicated by 

 the following sentence from Eoger Williams' "Key into the Languages of America": 



"Panganaut, tamwocb. Cod, Which is the first that comes a little before the Spring." 



In the vicinity of Cape Ann the young Cod, too small to swallow a bait, are sometimes known 

 to the fishermen as "Pickers," and throughout all Eastern Massachusetts the name "Scrod,"or 

 "Scrode," is in common use. In its primary meaning it seems to refer to these small fish slightly 

 corned, in which condition they are a favorite article of food, but the name is also transferred to 

 the young fish themselves. The fishermen recognize several varieties of Cod for which they have 

 different names. Rock Cod are those which are found in shoal water among the reefs and ledges, 

 and which usually are of a dark color: these fish are often brilliant red in color, owing to the 

 fact that the small animals upon which they live feed upon the red algse, abundant in those 

 localities, and from them have absorbed the red coloring matter into their tissues. "Eockling" 

 are probably young Eock Cod. In the vicinity of Scituate, Massachusetts, Eock Cod are also called 

 "Native Cod." 



Another class of names appears to apply to those fish which live near the shores, but which 

 are less closely limited to the reefs. These are called "Shoal- water Cod," " Shore Cod," "Inshore 

 Cod," "Worm Cod," "Clam Cod," "Black Snappers," "Black Biters," "Brown Cod," "Ground 

 Keepers," and "Ground Tenders" or "Groupers." 



Still another class of fish is known by such names as "Deep-water Cod," "Bank Cod," and 

 "School Cod." 



There are also certain local schools of fish which have names of their own; for instance, the 

 "Herring Fish" or "Herring Cod" of Southeastern Maine, and the "Squid School" of Nantucket 

 and other parts of the coast, the " Pasture School " of Cape Ann, and the so-called " Shad School" 

 which frequented Massachusetts. Bay between 1815 and 1830. 



In Southeastern Maine the name " Pine-tree Cod " is also in use. It is dififlcult at present to 

 determine exactly to what extent these names are used and what their precise meaning may be, 

 but it is almost certain that each community of fishermen has its own peculiar names by which to 

 designate local peculiarities of habit and movement. 



In the markets the Cod from George's Bank are usually classed as "George's fish," and are 

 considered to be of superior value. George's fish are very fat fish with white "napes." This name 

 is becoming a commercial term to describe Codfish of the finest quality. No one of these names, 

 excepting Eock Cod, or Eed Cod, appears to be in use in Great Britain, although there, as here, 

 there are various names of local significance, which are of little interest, however, to Americans. 



"Bank Cod" and "Shore Cod" are commercial names, used in the same manner as the name 

 "George's Cod." 



History of the Codfish in America. — As early as 1415 A. D., English vessels frequented the 

 fishing grounds near Iceland, and it is claimed by some authorities that the Banks of Newfoundland 

 were known to the Basques centuries before the discovery of the American continent. The Banks 

 of Newfoundland were among the principal inducements which led the English to establish colonies 

 in this country, and in the records of early voyages are many allusions to the abundance of Cod 

 along our shores. 



In the Appendix may be found an essay, by Mr. Eobert S. Eantoul, on " The Cod in Massachu- 

 setts' History," a paper read at a field meeting of the Essex Institute at Gloucester, September 14, 

 1866. It is really an epitome of the early history of the cod fisheries of the United States, con- 

 taining much interesting information upon the use of the Codfish upon the seal of Massachusetts 

 and upon the colonial coinage. 



