| Summary: | hag fishing The early fishermen were plagued by other problems, not the least of which was finding proper bait for their hooks/When squid or her- ring were not available, they used whatever came to hand, including the sea birds that flocked about the vessels. The dorymen tossed bits of cod liver on the water to attract the birds and then fished for them with handlines and small hooks baited with cod liver. When a bird was caught, the fisherman pulled it to him, held it under one arm, and crushed its skull with his teeth to kill it. Both the entrails and the flesh were used as cod bait. Frequently the fishy-tasting birds were served aboard ship in pot pies and stews to supplement the monotonous diet of fish and salt beef. Hagdons (Puffinus major and P. fuligninosus) as well as gulls (Larus sp.) were taken in what the dorymen called "_hag fishing_." But the practice, which had been introduced to fill the void caused by the dis- appearance of the great auk (Pinguinus impennis), died out after about 1875. PRINTED ITEM DEC 1974 G. M. Story JH DEC 1974 Not used Not used Withdrawn
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