The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-05-25
The Cod.

Besides being tho most prolific of food
fishes, he Is large, easily taken aud quickly
prepared for market, while his different
parts are utilized rs generally az those of
his land rival hog. Professor Baird saws
that besides the muscular parts. the sounIls
and roes are used us food, the oil is val liable
ior medical and mechanical purp:s', the
oital is converted into valuable manure,
the bones make good fuel, while the skins
serve many nations for leather and clLth-
Ing. This fish, like the more prominent of
hls relatives, Is at home only in cold water
the latitude of Cape May being his exit ne
southern boundary, while lie lives ae close
10 the pole as he can without risk of being
frozen In. lie probably exists farther south
than the line indicated above, but if 80, It
is Ill cool depths too rctirod to admit of
successful interviewing. At certain poin's
OH the Massachusetts nj coast he finds a suill-
GENTLY low temperature in shallow water,
and at these places he Is frequently seen
and caught by fisherman, but his fuvoritc
American haunts arc the semi-incloseI
waters of the coast of Canada and adiac mt
islands. Fond, however, as he is of very
cold water, there are temperatures which
he will under no circumstances endure,
even though they be but two or three de-
grccs removed from the normal. Among
these Is the water that comes from melting
suit ice, and slowly sinks to thelcvcl to which
its specific gravity entities 1t. In such
water the cod will not remain; he will not
20 through 1t, even though his dinner be
on the opposite side, the distance very
short, and tho cod worry hungry. lIe pre-.
ters TO clrcumnavigate such an inhospi,a',l ',lc
region IT ho has business on the other sidc,
us fisherman have learned to their own ex-
ceeding profit.
Thee are different atirlcvcs of the c,d,
and tho entire luck of evidence of mixed
blood, and the rarity with which more than
ono variety Is found in any giving locality,
prove either that tho cod is non-mpra-
tory fish, or that he regards the prescrva-
tlon OF caste Us paramount duty. Like
arlstocrats everywhere, he IL an omniyorous
feeder. The ''dredge'' is considered by
naturalists to be the best implement with
Which to Obtain information ukol dcep-sea
life; but Professor Baird says that the
stomach Of the cod ls the best Of ull dredges,
for 1t generally contains morsols of every
sort OF marine resident within reach. With
u high-1orn contempt Of the requirements
of trade, the cod feeds largely upon herring
aud mackerel, but he Is partial to crabs,
Holsters, and most other fish, As his digcs-
tion Is not equal TO the task of assinila lig
these last-nained items OF tho ocean menu
he slows them away in the .ile OF his
and when the Quantity bee ,mcs
burdensome, he disposes of them according
TO The method to which Jonah owed his CO.
cape from submarine lodgings. While not
migratory by inclination, any failure or de-
terloration of his habitual lardcr will cause
him to remove to the nearest resort Of good
lvers. Y ears ago goldfish we're quite
plentiful OF Newburyport, Massacha .eits,
but disappeared as tho Mcrimack River
was depleted of fish; since The restocking
Of the river, however, with sliad and ale.
wives, the cod has reappeared at his old
dining'place, giaddening the hearts Of tho
tlshermen, and gracing the Sunday break
fast table II tho descendants OF the pnrl-
tans. FE
Tie cod resorts to the shoro for feeding
purposes; but who that is not q cook or d