NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 103 



C H A P T E R V. 



Concerning FISH and FISHERIES. 



Sect. I. The breeding of Fifh, and their abundance in the north fea. Sect. II. 

 General obfervations on Fifhes. Sect. III. The order and divifion of the 

 kinds. Sect. IV. Of the Eel, Lamprey, Perch and Gurnard. Sect. V. 

 Of the Rock-fijh, Blue-ffi, Bleak, Bream, Anchovy, and others. Sect. VI. 

 Of the Flounder and Plaife kind, and fever al others. Sect. VII. Of the 

 Shark, its various kinds, the Turbot, and others. Sect. VIII. The Whale, 

 its various kinds, the Whiting, Stittleback, and others. Sect. IX. Of ^ the 

 Sea-Fox, Carp, Sea-Calves, and others. 



SECT. I. 



TVTORWAY is as plentifully fupplied as any country in the 

 •*^ world with Fifh, both of the fait and frefh waters: and as 

 to the firft, namely, the Salt-water Fifh, I am in doubt if any 

 place can equal us and Iceland, if we except North America, and 

 particularly Terre Neuve ; where the French, in this century, 

 have eftablifhed a rich and advantageous Cod and Salmon-fifhery, 

 not inferior to our Norvegian one. Under the thick and con- F iih breedin 

 tinual flakes of ice, which cover the North fea, from the 80th n ^ r 

 degree to the pole, feems the proper abode of the beft kind of 

 fifties, or their native country. There they breed in peace, and 

 are prote&ed from the devouring Whale. The lungs of this Fifh 

 are formed like thofe of a land-animal, and therefore he mult 

 often fetch breath ; confequently he does not venture to go him- 

 felf far under the ice : yet the other fpecies of Fiflh, particularly 

 the Herring, &c. which will be defcribed hereafter as the mofb 

 confiderable, feem inftigated by the Creator to come forth into 

 the wide ocean for the fervice of mankind * ; and as foon as that 



happens, 



* Thofe kinds of Fifh, which are oviparous, or generated of fpawn, come annually- 

 near the coafl, and without doubt continue there fome time •, that they may, in the nar- 

 row channels and creeks, difcharge their fpawn with greater fafety than in the wide 

 ocean: for experience teaches that they come in full-roed, but go out to fea thin and 

 lhotten. And what is moil remarkable, that on their departure they fwallow fmall 

 Hones, to fill their belly, as it were to ferve as ballaft, in the room of the difcharged 

 fpawn. When our fifhermen find fmall ftones in the bellies of the Fifh, they take in 

 thefe mallow waters, they conclude that they are preparing for their departure, and 

 go feveral miles out at fea, on the fand banks, to caft their nets. Some are of 



opinion, 



: g 



near the north 



