USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. I > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
The Dipper is always diving and dipping for fish ; and, when on the water, appears larger than the largest species of teal, and is nearly as good for the table as a duck.
The Lord and Lady, or Noddy* is as large as a pigeon, good for food; has a brown back and cream-coloured breast, and feeds on small muscles, snails and insects. Its perpetual whiffles with the wings when flying, give it name.
Old-wife's notes are in sound like shrill scolding, as heard from this bird often in the night time. Its flesh is brown like beef, about as good as that of a duck, and is itself almost as large.
Of the two Teals, the green wing is the larger ; both are very fine for the table, and about two-thirds the size of a domestic duck.
A Whistler is about as large as a Dipper : And the Widgeon is supposed to be the same as a wood duck; the female lays her eggs in some hollow tree, and when her young are hatched, she carries them to the water side, where she rears them up to full size.
We reckon two species of the Falcon kind ;+ 1. the Bird- hawk ; and 2d, the Kingbird. The latter is a most active and courageous little creature, not fearing to make war even upon the hawk and crow.
Falcon ge- uus.
* Some think this the Sea-swallow.
t 1. Lanius Canadensis .- 2. Lanins Tyrannus : " the least of the falcon tribe."-Rees' Encyclope lia.
143
of Finches.
SECT. v.] OF MAINE.
There seem to be two kinds of the Finch ;* one has with us Two kinds these three species : 1. the Goldfinch or Golden Robin ; 2. the Hang-bird ; and 3. the Redwing Blackbird. The last is the male only of the same species ; the female is smaller, of a dirty brown, and has no red on its wings. The two former hang their nests under the limb, where it is forked. The Goldfinch is shorter bodied, but thicker than the yellow bird ; its plumage is of a beautiful bright orange colour, and its voice is quite me- lodious.
Of the other Finch kindt we have five species : 1. the Chee- weeh, or Pewit ; 2. the Chipping Bird ; } 3. the Winter Spar- row ; 4. the Yellow Bird, and 5. the Spring Bird. The Pe- wit, or Cheeweek, lives in the summer months about barns and old buildings, where the swallows have nests, in which she lays her eggs with theirs. The Spring Bird is larger than a chip- ping bird, and is one of the very first to sing the vernal song The other species are small, very pretty and well known.
There is a genus whose leading name seems to be that of Genus of Fly-catcher, § of which there are five species; 1. the brown ers. Fly-catcher ; 2. the crested Fly-catcher ; 3. the Cat-bird ; 4. the Hedge-bird, and 5. the Yellow crown.
The brown Fly-catcher is as big as a swallow, of a dove-col- our, with white on its belly. One of them, in July, entered a gentleman's' chamber, who informed me, that though the flies were numerous, in consequence of sickness, the bird caught them or cleared them all out of the chamber in one day.
All untamed Geese, T with us, are birds of passage ; of which Species of kind we have seen three species,-1. the wild, or black Goose ; Geese. 2. the bluish Goose, and 3. the white Goose.
The several species of the Goose and the Brant, pass north- ward in March and southward in November. In their journies they travel in flocks from thirty to sixty together, and their
* Finches, 1st kind ; 1. Oriolus Baltimorus : But, query, if found in this State .- 2. Oriolus Icterus .- 3. Oriolus Phaeniceus.
t Finches, 2d kind; 1. Fringilla Erythropthalma -2. Fringilla ?- or Passer genus .- 3. Fringilla Grisea .- 4. Fringilla Tristis .- 5. Fringilla -.
# Quære, if the Chipping bird does not belong to the Sparrow kind ?
§ 1. Muscicapa Fusca .- 2. Muscicapa Crinita .- 3. Muscicapa Carolinen- sis ?- 4. Muscicapa Canadensis ?- 5. Muscicapa Flava.
T 1. Anser Canadensis .- 2 Anser Caerulescens .- 3. Anser Crythropus.
Fry-catch-
144
THE BIRDS
[INTRODUC.
height, regularity, and swiftness in flight, are well known. Their summer habitations are about our great lakes, in this State and elsewhere, northward. Incredible numbers go to the " Great Bog," 200 miles northeastwardly of Quebec. George Bussick, who, about half an age since, was eight or nine years with the Penobscot tribe of Indians, and an interpreter, says he went to the latter place three successive years, after feathers, where he found wild Geese, Brants, black Ducks, and Curlews. The Great Bog is an extensive quagmire, on which the fowler cannot walk, but works along his canoe from one hummock to another, and smites the fowls on their nests. He has sometimes killed five with his paddle, without moving his canoe. About the year 1800, a broken flock of 8 or 9 white Geese, in the spring, light- ed on the Island Metinicus, of which Mr. Young, one of the Islanders, killed three and his neighbours killed the residue. They were entirely white and as large as a gander of our do- mestic flocks.
Grouse ge- nus.
Of the Grouse kind* we have four species .- 1. The Grouse ; 2. the Partridge ; 3. the spruce Partridge, and 4. the Quail.
The Grouse is seldom seen, except about our highest moun- tains, and is probably the same as the Heath-cock of Linneaus. Its head and neck is marked with alternate bars of red and black; it feeds on bilberries and other mountain · fruits, and weighs from two to four pounds. They never pair; but when the male, in the spring, from an eminence claps his wings and crows, all the females within hearing resort to him.
The spruce Partridge is of a dark brown, has a short tail, and the male has a heart-form upon his breast of two inches in length. The flesh of this species is equal in goodness to the other, though the body is not so large. Quails are not with us so plenty as in the other States of New-England : Indeed, they are very seldom if ever seen in the eastern parts, and many think the spruce Partridges are the same.
Gullst are very common on our coast ; their bill is straight, only hooked at the tip, and is destitute of teeth. They feed on fish and worms and are always about the water. Their body is
Gulls.
* 1. Tetrao tetrix .- 2. Tetrao Marilandicus .- 3. Tetrao Canadensis .- 4. Tetrao Virginianus.
+ 1. Larus Candidus .- 2. Laros Marinus .- 3. Larus Ridibundus .- 4. Sterna Hirundo.
145
SECT. V.] OF MAINE.
light and their wings long ; and when terrified, it is said, they will cast up all their indigested food. " Though the species of this genus are not very clearly discriminated," owing to the changes of plumage in different stages of their growth till the third year ; yet we suppose there are with us four, viz. 1. the white Gull ; 2. the eagle Gull ; 3. the mackerel, or fishing Gull ; 4. the swallow-tail Gull, or Medrake. The mackerel Gull is nearly as large as a goose ; and the Medrake is as large as a black duck and good for the table. The others are plenty about our seashores, and not poor food.
Of the Hawk kind," we have six species, and two varieties : Hawk ge- 1 and 2. the bald and the brown Eagle ;t 3. the great brown nus. Hawk ; 4. the hen Hawk; 5. the pigeon Hawk ; and 6. the fishing Hawk. They are all rapacious ; and it is said to be a noted fact that all female birds of prey are much larger, strong- er, and more courageous, than the males.
The character of the Heron kind consists in having the bill Heron ge- straight, pointed, long, sub-compressed, with a furrow from the nus. nostrils towards the tip, the nostrils linear, tongue sharp, feet four-toed and cleft, and the toes connected at the base ; of which we reckon five species,¿ 1 and 2. the blue and the white Heron ; 3. the Crane ; 4. the Stork, § and 5. the Skouk.
It is said, the blue Heron is crested. and has on its breast a large spot with two growths of feathers, the under one is soft and short as the down of geese, and is of an otter colour, and in the night time has a bright appearance like touchwood. The Crane has a long neck and long legs, and is of a lead-colour. The Skouk is as large bodied as a partridge, its legs blue, its back slate-coloured and ill shaped-and is vulgarly called a " shite-poke."
The Humming bird|| is the smallest and fleetest of the feath-
* 1. Falco Leucocephalus .- 2. Falco Fulvus .- 3. Falco Hudsonius .- 4. Falco Sparverrius .- 5. Falco Columbarius .- 6. Falco Haliaetus.
+ It has been asserted that an eagle will live 100 years.
Į 1. Ardea Caerulea .- 2. Ardea Alba .- 3. Ardea Canadensis .- 4. Ar- dea Ciconia. - 5. Ardea Virescens.
§ The Stork is a bird of passage, the white one has naked eyeballs. its beak and feet are of a blood-red colour; it is a great enemy to reptiles ; its disposition is mild, neither very sly nor savage; it is easily tamed. It has a mournful visage and grave air, though sagacious.
[ Passer- -?- Goldsmith. Trochilus colubris .- Lin.
146
THE BIRDS
[INTRODUC.
Heron ge- ered race. It derives its name from the hum its wings make uus. when it flies. Of a full grown one which I have carefully ex- amined, the length from the crown to the end of the tail-feathers, is less than three inches ; its body one inch long, and twice that in circumference, measuring around the wings. From the body to the end of the longest feather of the wing, is about one inch and 3-4th. Its feathers are of the softest down; their colour near the skin, on the back and sides, is of a dark bright brown, changing to a beautiful golden green towards and at their ends. Those on the belly are tipped with white, or lightbrown, and appear beautifully clouded. The bill of the Humming bird is black, 3-4ths of an inch in length, the upper and lower part about as large as a common sewing needle ; its tongue is most peculiar, resembling towards its end a split hair, formed to sip sweets from the cups of the smallest flowers. Its legs are covered with down to tlie feet, which have severally four claws or toes, and which are curving and very sharp.
The Kingfisher* is plenty. It stays all winter about fresh waters, and in the spring builds its nest in the banks. It is heavy as a plover, has a long bill, its head is crested with red, its back is of a blue colour ; and though it is not webfooted, its toes grow near together, and it dives after fish.
Larks.
We have two species of the Lark kind,t 1. the Skylark, and 2. the Marshlark ; well known elegant birds, and sweet songs- ters. It is said this kind will live 16 years.
The red Linnet,¿ is about as large as a Goldfinch but has longer feathers ; and its wings and tail have some black, other- wise its plumage is a most beautiful dark scarlet. It nests in the margin of the woods.
Loons are very common on the seaboard : they are of a bluish colour, have a large head and will weigh 12 or 15 pounds after being dressed. What is remarkable in them is, their hip- joints grow so fast to the body as to be immoveable, so that they cannot step on the land ; they are of two species, 1. brown throat Loon and 2. sea Loon.
Loons.
* Alcedo Alcyon.
+ 1. Alauda Alpestris .- 2. Alauda Magna.
# Tanagra Rubra.
¿ 1. Colymbus Septentrionalis .- 2. Colymbus Immer.
147
SECT. V.] OF MAINE.
Of the Owl," we have four species, viz. 1. the horned ; 2. Owls. the white ; 3. the speckled, and 4, the barn, or screech Owl.
The Pelicant kind is of two species, both webfooted, and birds Pelican of passage. 1. the Pelican itself, which is rarely seen ; 2. the genus. Shag, which is larger than a black duck, will weigh 3 pounds, -its colour is a dark gray.
The Ploverst are common on our shores, and have been class- Plover ed in five species .- 1. The black breast Plover ; 2. upland "hus. Plover ; 3. large spotted Plover ; 4. the Kildeer ; and 5. the Oxeye. The third species is large as a Teal, and has yellow legs ; its flesh is fat and good for food. The upland Plover is larger than a robin. The Kildeer is a long-legged drooping bird, not seen often in this quarter. The Oreye is a little tottering shore- bird, large as a martin.
The Peeps is a little land-bird, with small body, wings long and large for its size.
The Petrel, || or Mother Carey's Chickens, is as large as a black martin ; its crying, or peeping, is considered by mariners as indicative of a storm. T
Of the Raven Kind ** are two species,-1. the Crow, tt and Raven 2. the Blue-jay ; both of which are common inhabitants of this genus. State and well known.
* 1. Strix Bubo .- 2. Strix Nyctea .- 3. Strix Aluco .- 4. Strix Passerina. + 1. Pelicanus Onacratalus .- 2. Pelicanus Occidentalis .- 3. Pelicanus Graculus. A live Pelican about as large as a wild goose, was taken in the Kennebeck river in the spring of 1826, two miles above Bath. Its habits are indolent, it does not often migrate so far north.
#1. Charadrius (Gr.) Apricarius .- 2. Charadrius Tetradactylus .- 3. Charadrius Maculatus .- 4. Charadrius Vociferus .- 5. Charadrius Alexan- drinus.
¿ Rallus Carolinus.
| Procellaria Pelagica.
T In one of the cluster, called North Seals and Mud Island, off Cape Sa- ble, Nova Scotia, thousands of Petrels, or Mother Carey's Chickens, annual- ly hatch their young. They burrow under ground diagonally, three or four feet deep, and sit on one egg ; flitting about the surface, in astonishing numbers, searching for food and casting a sickly foetid effluvia. Naturalists have attributed to this little winged mariner the property of breeding its young on the water, by delivering its egg and diving to catch it under the wing, where the young one is said to be hatched .- Lockwood's Nova Scotia, p. 81.
** 1. Corvus Corax .- 2. Corvus Cristatus.
tt Grucula quiscala. Crow Blackbird.
148
THE BIRDS
[INTRODUC.
Species of the Razor- bill.
The family of the Razor-bill," containing three species, which are seen here,-viz. 1. the Penguin ;t 2. Murr, and 3. the sea Parrot, are all webfooted. The Penguin is as large as a domestic fowl; the Murr has a short neck ; and is smaller.
Shelldrake
We have three species of the Shelldrake,t or Water Raven, 1. the Cream-coloured ; 2. the Red-bellied, and 3. the Pied Shelldrake : all of which are webfooted, almost always in or on the water, large as a black duck, and good for the trencher.
Suipe genus
We have four species and two varieties of the Snipe :§ 1 and 2. the Woodcock and Wood Snipe ; 3 and 4. the gray and large speckled Curlew : their flesh is fine flavoured, no wood- land bird pleases the epicurean's taste better. The Curlews have long legs and crooked bills, are big as a partridge, and are birds of passage.
Sparrow genus.
Of the Sparrow tribe, || we will name three species, though the discriminating classis among naturalists is not very perfect. 1. the Chipping bird, or domestic Sparrow ; 2. the little field Sparrow, or Ground bird ; 3. the Snow bird. It is difficult to know where to class this latter species ; it is certain no one is more hardy, for it stays with us from autumn to spring; no one serves so much to enliven the cold and stormy days of winter : for then they often appear in flocks of 30 or 40, all cheerful and sprightly. Their flesh is fine and delicate, but their bodies are too small to cook. Possibly the Starling, T a larger bird, is of the same species : though it may be one of another family ; or taken for the red linnet.
Swallow genus.
We have five species and two varieties of the Swallow kind ;* *
* 1. Alca Impennis .-- 2. A ea Torda .- 3. Alca Artica.
t Our Penguin is another than the Anser Magellaneous not so large, and different. It lays a single egg, and burrows like a rabbit.
# 1. Mergus Merganser .- 2. Mergus Serrator .- 3. Mergus Castor.
§ 1. Scolopax (Gr.) Rusticola .- 2. Scolopax Fedoa .- 3, Scolopax Tota- nus .- 4. Scolopax Lapponica.
|| 1. Passer Domesticus .- 2. Passer Agrestis .- 3. Passer Nivalis .- Bart. ; alias Emberiza Hyemalis .- Lin.
T Of the Sparrow-kind .- Goldsmith. Quere, if the Starling be found in this State.
** 1. Hirundo riparia .- 2. Hirundo rustica .- 3. Hirundo pelasgia canda- aculeata .- 4. Hirundo purpurea,-5. Hirundo urbria .- These appear
149
SECT. v.] OF MAINE.
1, 2, and 3. the bank, the barn, and the chimney Swallow; and 4, and 5. the black and the small Martin. The coming of these birds is considered the indicative finale of spring. The chimney Swallow comes the first of either ; and the bank Swallow is the smallest of the whole. Its hole into the sand banks of rivers, where it nests, is sometimes two feet in length. The black Mar- tin is the largest of the Swallow race ; it appears the latest and leaves the earliest. The Swallows are all torpid during the win- ter ; some have been found in the bottoms of ponds, others in the hollows of large trees ; and it is known, that they go into winter-quarters in considerable flocks and on a particular day.
It is understood that, 1. the Fox-coloured Thrush ; 2. the Thrush ge- Thrasher, or Mocibird ; and 3. the Robin, are species of the N.S.
Thrush family ;" and few upland birds are more inoffensive or musical, or better known among us.
Of the Titmouse tribe,t we may mention these species : 1. Titmouse the crested Titmouse ; 2. the blue Titmouse ; 3. Toomteet ; 4. gruus.
yellow rump Toomteet ; and 5. Little Hang-bird. These are all very small birds.
All the species of the Tring kindt are unwebbed, and not Tring ge- large bodied : they are, 1. the Humility; 2. the Marsh-bird ; nus. 3. the Rock-bird ; and 4. the Beach or Sand-bird. The Hu- mility has long yellow legs, long neck, is gray spotted, frequents the shores of ponds and of salt water, wades after small fish, and is nearly as large as a pigeon. The Marsh-bird is as large as a martin, has long wings and is very fat. A Beach, or Sand-bird is about the size of a swallow, coloured white and gray ; its flesh is eatable, though of a fishy flavour.
We have several species of Wagtails ; 6-viz. 1. the crested Warblers. Wren ; 2. the common Wren; 3. the Blue-bird; 4. the Grape-bird, and 5. the Water-wagtail.
The Waterwitch is as large as a pigeon ; its beak of a slate-
about the 25th of April, and depart the 20th of September. The martins depart earlier.
* 1. Turdus Rufus .- 2. Turdus Orpheus .- 3. Turdus Migratorius ?
+ 1. Parus Bicolor -2. Parus Americanus .- 3. Parus Atricapillus .- 4. Parus Virginianus -5. Parus pondulinus.
# 1. Tringa Interpres .- 2. Tringa Morinella .- 3. Tringa Maculata .- 4. Tringa Arenaria.
§ 1. Motacilla Regulus .- 2. Motacilla Trochilus .- 3. Motacilla Sialis,-
4. Motacilla Icterocephala .- 5. Motacilla -?
150
THE FISHES
[INTRODUC.
colour, and its breast of a cream-colour ; its liip-joint, like that of a loon, is fast ; its sight and motion is so exceedingly quick, that it will repeatedly catch the flash of the gun and avoid the shot.
Woodpeck- ers.
The Woodpecker-family* is so large with us, that we reckon seven species ;- viz. 1. the great red crested, 2. the swallow- tailed, 3. the red head, 4. the white back, 5. the woolly back, 6. the white tail, and 7 the speckled Woodpecker. The quills in the tail of this genus are about half an inch in length, without feathers, but sharp, like those of a porcupine. With these, pointed and thrust into the bark, they hold and rest themselves while drumming. The Yellow-hammer is also a Woodpecker.
Whip-poor- will.
We have also the Whip-poor-will, and the Night Hawk, which certainly belong to the same genus,f and ornithologists have long doubted if they are not in fact one and the same bird. The celebrated Bartram thinks them so ; and I am told, that a fowler having killed one, while singing " whip-poor-will," was satisfied, on investigation, that the singer is the male and the Night Hawk is the female. It is said this bird lives 16 or 18 years.
er. Hagdel.
Besides the 146 species mentioned, there are several others, Frog-catch. the genus of which is not known ; as the Frog-catcher, also the Hagdel, of a dark brown colour, about as large as a Murr, though its feathers are longer. It is webfooted, follows vessels, and feeds on fish-offal and the refuse of cookery; also, the Moose-bird, which feeds on the berries of the moose bush, and stays through the winter. Nor is it probable that the whole number has been mentioned in the preceding account ; and some, which are com- mon in other parts of New-England, are seldom here; particu- larly the wild Turkey. A few, however, have been shot in the western parts of this State.
Moose bird.
FISHES.
Fishes.
IN our salt and fresh waters are found about sixty species of fish, and, generally, they are abundant in numbers. Some are warm- blooded, some amphibious, some without bones, and some without
* 1. Picus Pileatus .- 2. Picus Pirundenaceus .- 3 Picus Erythrocepalus .- 4. Picus Auratus .- 5. Picus Pubescens .- 6. Picus Villosus .- 7. Picus Ma- culosus.
{ 1. Caprimulgus Europacus .- 2. Caprimulgus Americanus, [Night Hawk ]
151
OF MAINE.
SECT. V.]
scales-differently classed by different Icthyologists. In the fol- lowing arrangement, the genera are alphabetical, and in each are the several species found among us.
Of the Blenny kind,* we mention-1. the Catfish ; 2. the Blenny Snake-fish, and 3. the Wolf-fish.t
kind. Snake.fish.
The Catfish has four teeth, two below and two above, which Catfish. set together like those of a rat or squirrel. Its colour is dark- brown, its head round, and, from its middle to its tail, its body tapers like that of an eel. It is two feet in length. It has large wing-fins like a sculpion ; in other respects it looks much like a cusk. It has no scales, will bite at a hook, and will weigh from 5 to 15 pounds, but is too rank and strong for the table. It is found in our bays in abundance.
The body of the Wolf-fish is round and slender, the head large Wolf fish. and blunt, the foreteeth, above and below, conical; those in the palate, and the grinders, round ; and the fin covering the gill has six rays.
Of the Cod [or Gad] kind of Fish, ; we have seven species, Gad kind. viz. 1. the Cod ; 2. the Haddoc !; 3. the Pollock ; 4. the small Pollock ; 5. the Hake ; 6. the Frost fish; and 7. the Cus !..
The Codfish is caught abundantly in the waters off our Codfi-li. seaboard, from one corner of the State to the other, perhaps equal to 20,000 quintals in a year. They are generally found near the ground in the deep waters of bays, but have been taken in Marsh bay, {Penobscot,] though they are never found in fresh water. They feed on muscles, shrimps and clams ; but the best bait for them is herring. They are without scales and their individual weight is from 5 to 75 pounds. They are said to spawn in coves and at the mouths of rivers, during the twelve days of Christmas.§
The Haddock are companions of the Codfish, and are found Haddock. in the salt water of our shores, as far eastward as Mount Desert.
* 1. Blennins Chaetodon .- 2. Blennius Anguillarius.
t Anarbichas lupus .- Goldsmith.
# 1. Gadus Morhua .- 2. Gadus aglesinus .- 3. Gadus polachius .- 4. Ga dus virens ?- 5. Gadus molva .- 6. Gadus luscus .- 7. Gadus -.
§ Goldsmith, says, [4 vol. p. 220,] " when their provision [on the Grand Banks] is exhausted, or the season for propagation returns, they go off to the polar seas."-But they are found on our coasts in all seasons of the year.
152
THE BIRDS
[INTRODUC.
They are scaled, and are of a light brown colour, with black stripes from head to tail on each side of the back, commencing a little after the nape, or gill fins, in spots of black, shaped like the ball of a man's thumb. The Haddock is shaped like a codfish, though with a larger head, and two back fins towards the tail ; it weighs from five to twelve pounds, is finer flavoured than a codfish, harder and less easy to break when dry, and con- sequently to be preferred for shipping.
Pollock.
The Polloc' is plentiful, especially about the bays of Passa- maquoddy and the Isle of Holt. It is shaped much like a Sal- mon and is scaled ; its sides are of a bluish cast, its back is dark- er, its belly a muddy white, its length from 20 to 30 inches, and weight from 10 to 25 lbs. It is very good, dressed and dried, though not so good as a codfish when fresh, being of a coarser grain. It is excessively fond of herring, and will collect together and hem in shoals of them, in the eddies about the flats, and at slack tide feast upon them.
The small Pollock are generally found in our harbours, and are exactly the same as the other, only smaller, weighing from four ounces to three pounds. Some think they are the half- grown young of the true Pollock.
Hake.
The Hale, Cod and Haddock are often caught, cured and sold together. The Hake is a scaled fish ; its length and weight are almost as great as those of a codfish; it is tougher than a haddock and not so fine flavoured. Its outside is coloured variously, some are rather of a dun-red, others are of a muddy brown with white bellies. Its head is much like that of a cod- fish, except that its mouth and jaws are formed like a crescent, full of fine teeth which are very sharp. Its body tapers from the head to the draught; thence to the tail-fin, the taper is much more gradual ; and it is finned mostly like a cusk, both on the back and belly. Abundance of them has been taken within three leagues of Castine. They are caught with hooks ; and the best hours for the business are in the fore and latter part of the night.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.