The French consider them to be dry and insipid eating; but in England they are often more esteemed than whitings. The inhabitants of Greenland frequently salt them: they also salt and dry the roes; and are particularly partial to the livers, which they dress and serve to table with crowberries (Empetrum nigrum).
209. The CAPELAN, or POOR (Gadus minutus), is a fish of the cod tribe, which seldom exceeds the length of six or seven inches, and differs from all others of the same tribe by being black in the interior of the abdomen.
It has three dorsal fins, a small beard on the chin, and nine punctures on each side of the lower jaw.
In the Newfoundland fishery these fish are of considerable importance, as supplying bait for the taking of cod. They are also found in considerable numbers in the Mediterranean, the Baltic, and the North Sea, and wherever they appear they are a source of great joy to the fishermen, since they are believed to announce an abundant supply of valuable fish, which pursue and prey upon them.
It is stated that, in the year 1545, the French coasts in the Mediterranean were visited, for two months, by such myriads of capelans, that many of the inhabitants were obliged to collect together and bury those that were thrown ashore, to prevent any evil consequence that might occur from the corruption of so great a mass of animal matter. These fish are sometimes caught on the coast of Cornwall.
They are considered very delicate food; and when salted are peculiarly excellent. A few barrels of salted capelans are occasionally sent from Newfoundland, as presents to the friends of the merchants in England, but the fish are too small to be salted there as an article of profit. They are caught both with lines and nets.
210. The WHITING (Gadus merlangus) is distinguished from other fish of the cod tribe by having three fins on its back, no beard on the chin, its upper jaw longer than the lower, the tail-fin somewhat hollowed, the back dusky, and the rest of the body silvery white.
Its weight seldom exceeds two pounds.
The chief season for whiting is during the first three months of the year, though they are frequently, brought to market till after Midsummer. They are sometimes caught with nets, but the hook and line are generally preferred, on account of the depth of the water at which they are usually found. The baits are lugworms, and muscles, whelks, or other shell-fish. The shoals of whiting, which approach within two or three miles of our shores, are sometimes extremely numerous. The Dutch fishermen use lines, for catching them, of immense length, and each containing about 250 hooks. These are laid near the bottom of the water; and when taken up have, in many instances, a fish at each hook.
It has been remarked that the flesh of the whiting, which is usually considered very delicate eating, varies much with the season and the kind of shore where the fish are caught. Those which frequent sandy flats, at a little distance from the shores, are smaller and much better flavoured than others that are taken on banks distant from the sea-coasts. They should be chosen for the table by the redness of their gills, the brightness of the eyes, and the general firmness of the body and fins.