FISHES, 365 
ness. The back is of a brown olive colour, with white 
spots on the sides, and the lower part of the body is en- 
tirely white. The eyes are large and staring. The head 
is broad and fleshy, and esteemed a delicious dish. 
The fecundity of all fishes is an object of real astonish- 
ment to every observer of nature. In the year 1790, a 
Cod-fish was sold in Workington market, Cumberland, 
for one shilling : it weighed fifteen pounds, and measured 
two feet nine inches in length, and seven inches in 
breadth ; the roe weighed two pounds ten ounces, one 
grain of which contained three hundred and twenty eggs. 
The whole, therefore, might contain, by fair estimation, 
three million nine hundred and four thousand four hun- 
dred and forty eggs. From such a trifle as this we may 
observe the prodigious value of the fishing trade to a 
commercial nation, and hence draw a useful hint for in- 
creasing it ; for, supposing that each of the above eggs 
should arrive at the same perfection and size, its produce 
would weigh twenty-six thousand one hundred and 
twenty-three tons ; and consequently would load two 
hundred and sixty-one sail of ships, each of one hundred 
tons burden. If each fish were brought to market, and 
sold as the original one, for one shilling, the produce then 
would be one hundred and ninety-five thousand pounds, 
that is to say, the first shilling would produce twenty 
times one hundred arid ninety-five thousand, or three 
million nine hundred thousand shillings. 
In the European seas, the Cod begin to spawn in 
January, and they deposit their eggs in rough ground 
among rocks. Some continue in roe until the beginning 
of April. Cod-fish are reckoned best for the table from 
October to Christmas. The air-bladders, under the name 
of sounds, are pickled, and sold separately. 
The chief fisheries for Cod are in the Bay of Canada, 
on the great bank of Newfoundland, and off" the isle of 
St. Peter, and the isle of Sable. The vessels frequenting 
