Class IY. GOAL FISH. 1S7 



Thbfe fifli are common on moft of our rocky 

 and deep coaits, but particularly thofe of the north 

 of Great Britain, They fwarm about the Orknies^ , 



where the fry are the great fupporc of the poor. 



The young begin to appear on the Torkjhire coaft Young. 

 the beginning of July in vaft ihoals, and are at that 

 time about an inch and an half long. In Augufi 

 they are from three to five inches in length, and 

 are taken in great numbers with the angling 

 rod, and are then elleemed a very delicate fifh, buc 

 grow fo coarfe when they are a year old that few 

 people will eat them. Fifh of that age are from 

 eight to fifteen inches long, and begin to have a 

 little blacknefs near the gills, and on the back, 

 and the blacknefs encreafes as they grow older. 



The fry is known by different names in diffe- 

 rent places : they are called at Scarhorotigh Parrs, 

 and when a year ©Id, Billets, About nine or ten 

 years ago fuch a glut of Parrs vifited that part, 

 that for feveral weeks it was impoffible to dip a 

 pail into the fea v/ithout taking fome. 



Tho' this fiHi is fo little efteemed when freili, 

 yet it is faked and dried for fale ; a perfon lad year 

 having cured above a thoufand at Scarhorotigh, 



The coal fifh is of more elegant form than the Di- scrip. 

 cod fifn : they generally grow to the length of two 

 feet and an half, and weigh about twenty-eight 

 or thirty pounds at moft. The head is fmall; 

 the under jaw a little longer than the upper": 



'the 



