i63 



tlNITJCD StAtESt 



Cod abound upon our coast. The history of the 

 j)rog;ress of this valuable fish upon the coast of North 

 America is curious. At the first discovery of the 

 northern continent of America, few or no cod-fish 

 \vere found to the southward of the banks of New- 

 foundland and Sable Island. About 35 or 40 years 

 ago, they were first discovered off Sandy hook, in the 

 vicinity of New York. It has been observed, that 

 ever since that time, they have gradually become 

 more and more "abundant, on the fishing ground of 

 the Neversinkin 6, 7, and 8 fathoms water, and per- 

 haps equally so many miles farther eastward. A few 

 years since they appeared about the capes of Dela- 

 ware bay^ though in comparatively small quantities; 

 and it is said, that they have been caught on Chin- 

 coteague shoals in lat 38 deg. on the coast of Mary- 

 land. From these facts it seems probable, that the 

 cod-fish is gradually progressing southward, and in 

 time may, perhaps, be caught along the whole extent 

 of coast belonging to the United States. Hence we 

 may conclude, that they originally inhabited the 

 Banks of Newfoundland ; whence on account of their 

 prodigious increase, they annually push out colonies 

 in every direction where sustenance can be pro* 

 cured. 



Clufiea ty r annus ^ and oniscus pr<^gustator. 

 The following account of these animals is an abridge* 

 ment of a very interesting paper by Mr. Latrobe.* 



Among the fish that at this early season of the year 

 (March) resort to the waters of York river, the 

 ale wife or oldwife, called the hay ale wife f clupta 



* Trans. PhiL Soc. Philad. vol. 5. 



