PICTURE: PANL, still from the film "Handling of Salted Codfish") (depicts a puncheon-like container or hogshead).] A large watertight barrel/cask used for storing various items such as molasses, rum, and pickled fish. Puncheons could be up to five feet in height and could hold anywhere from 44-140 gallons though in this century, ninety gallons was the average size. They were commonly used on the stage for any number of purposes. Often sawn in half to make two "puncheon tubs" which were used for washing fish in and sometimes for pickling fish, etc. A "butt" in some places was a puncheon sawn off at the three-quarter mark and used to salt fish as well. (See "butt.")