100 
HAKE. 
excess that their craving is satisfied. When a school of 
Pilchards is enclosed within a scan, it will commonly happen 
that several Hakes are cooped up with them; and when the 
tucking of the scan is in progress, for the purpose of taking 
up the imprisoned fish, the Hakes are often found so filled 
with the smaller fish as to be utterly helpless. Seventeen 
Pilchards have been found in the stomach of a Hake on 
this occasion. As even the fishes of the sea are conscious 
of an instinctive dread of danger, fishermen affirm that the 
smaller tribes display as significant a fear of the approach 
of the Hake and Ling as of a Shark, and they quit the 
station when these enemies appear. 
On ordinary occasions Hakes swim at a considerable depth 
in the water, and shew themselves ready to seize whatever 
object may chance to offer itself to their notice; but, contrary 
to the more usual habits of their family, they appear to lose 
their appetite at the time when they are about to shed their 
spawn, the season for which is the early months of the year, 
although this is liable to variation, as indeed is the case with 
most fishes, so that in the cold season of 1837 the spawning of 
Hakes was not accomplished until August. At this time their 
presence on the coast is signified only by the numbers taken 
with trawls, while very few fall to the lot of those who fish 
with hook and line. When caught with the latter at a con- 
siderable depth this fish ejects the contents of its stomach 
before it reaches the surface, but when the hook has been 
swallowed at a higher station in the water this ejection does 
not take place until the captive is drawn on board; and 
there can be little doubt that terror is the exciting cause in 
every instance; but the fact itself goes far to explain how it 
happens that many fishes which beyond doubt are eager feeders, 
are generally found when caught to have their stomachs altogether 
empty. 
There is reason to believe that in early times the Hake 
was far more highly valued for the table than we now find it 
to be; but it is probable that it then filled the place now 
occupied by the Cod of Newfoundland, as well as of being an 
accustomed dish for the fast in Lent, and other usual days of 
abstinence enforced by law. In the fifteenth century salted 
Hakes formed an important part of the trade of Ireland; and 
