COD , POLLOCK , HADDOCK AND HAKE . 
but rather seek the deep waters around its edge. The fish make their 
appearance, however, on the bank early in February. 
Cod may be found in greater or less number within reach of the land 
from Block Island to Newfoundland, and perhaps to Labrador, at all sea¬ 
sons of the year. South of Block Island, Codfish are very rarely noticed, 
in summer, even in the deepest water frequented by the fishermen, though a 
few remain on the grounds in the vicinity of the islands during the whole 
summer. 
In the waters from Cape Cod to Cape Ann, and perhaps a little further 
to the north, we find the district in which the bathic migrations of the 
Codfish are least apparent, the periodical changes in depth being but 
slight from winter to summer—the fish being within easy reach of the 
fishermen at all seasons of the year. Even here, however, there is a great 
increment in their numbers in winter. 
The statements which have been made regarding the periodical move¬ 
ments or the Cod I do not by any means consider satisfactory or final. 
These movements are the results of many influences, and no one yet 
understands how much weight to attach to the relative importance of 
these three influences, i. e., (i) the direct effect of temperature upon the 
fish themselves; (2) the abundance of food, as affected by temperature 
and other causes ; and (3) the immediate relations between temperature 
and the reproductive habits of the fish. There is no more difficult problem 
in ichthyological science. 
Mr. J. Carson Brevoort, of New York, contributes the following inter¬ 
esting sketch of the names applied to the cod family by the different 
nations of Europe : 
‘ 1 The appellations under which the weather-dried Codfish, split and 
stretched on a short stick, is known throughout the civilized w r orld can all 
be traced to one common root, based upon the mode of preparation for 
the market. 
“Among the Greeks the large Codfish were called Baccht , from Bac¬ 
chus, a rod. By the Latins the fish was named Gadus, from a Sandscrit 
root cad or gad, a rod. We find this root in English in ‘goad,’ and 
perhaps, in ‘ cat-o’-nine-tail in Gaelic gad and godan, signifying a 
small rod. By the Iberians the dried Cod were called Bacalaos, from 
Baculeum, a small stick.* This points also to the root of the French 
Baguette , a rod, Bilboquet , the toy known as cup and ball, really a stick 
* The rod held by Mercury was called a Baculeum . 
22 
