Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/599

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THE FISHES OF GREAT YARMOUTH.
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passes over but one or two specimens occur. "One taken, 1818; another, 1822" (Pagets). I saw a 7-ft. example, Oct. 17th, 1891; another, 6 ft. 6 in., on Sept. 30th, 1893; yet another on Sept. 28th, 1894; length, 9 ft.

Alopecias vulpes. Thresher. R.—The earliest record of a locally taken example is July 4th, 1867; length, 14 ft. 5 in., of which the tail accounted for 7 ft. 4 in.; girth, 6 ft. One landed at Lowestoft end of Sept. 1879. "It weighed half a ton, and its tail was 10 ft. long" (Dr. Lowe). Another was caught by some Palling 'long-shore fishermen on Oct. 2nd, 1884; length, 12 ft. Two small examples at Lowestoft, Sept. 1897 (Southwell, Zool. ante, p. 475); another, 10 ft. 2 in. in length, landed at Yarmouth, Oct. 9th, 1897.

Selache maxima. Basking Shark. A.—"Several of this species have been taken at different times" (Pagets). Query:—Can the Pagets have confounded any of these with Lamna cornubica? I have not yet met with the species.

Læmargus borealis. Greenland Shark. A.—An example, 15 ft. long, was captured in shallow water off Caister, Nov. 11th, 1885 (Trans. Norf. Nor. Nat. Soc. 1893–94, p. 643). Two others have occurred off the Norfolk coast, viz., one Jan. 21st, 1892, off Lynn; length, 13 ft. 2 in.; the other, July 12th, 1892, off Overstrand; length, 10 ft.

Scyllum canicula. Lesser Spotted Dog-fish. F.—"Our most common species" (Pagets). The fish must have changed about during the past fifty years, for a hundred Picked Dogs occur to one of this species. Frequently taken by trawlers, wolders, and rarely by shrimpers, from whom I have had specimens.

S. stellaris. Larger Spotted Dog-fish. R.R.—"One caught, 1828" (Pagets). Taken as in the preceding species. I have seen several on the beach and fish wharf.

Acanthias vulgaris. Picked Dog-fish. C.—An untiring foe to the Herrings, which it attacks even when gilled in the nets, biting out from the back chestnut-shaped pieces. Frequently the only catches of sea anglers from the piers. Found an example on Feb. 28th, 1890, on the beach; length, 27 in. A dead body was washed ashore on Jan. 23rd, 1890; a shoal of Dog-fish followed it into the breakers!

Squatina vulgaris. Monk-fish. R.R.—"One taken, 1817;