PISCES.
Notes from Great Yarmouth.—Fishes rare or curious have been sparsely met with in local waters during the past six months. The only records of exceptional interest, beyond the great takes of Herrings of last fishing season, were a white Sole (Solea vulgaris), on Sept. 19th, 1899; one or two Anchovies (Engraulis encrasicholus) in October, from the drift-nets; a Porbeagle (Lamna cornubica), our locally commonest Shark; and a Sturgeon of the variety Accipenser latirostris, which measured 4 ft, on or about Nov. 23rd. A 10 in. Lemon Sole (Solea lascaris) was brought me on Jan. 13th of the present year, and on the 16th an albino Sole, measuring 11½ in. Only a very narrow ring of the normal colouring encircled the eyes, and the slightest tinge of pink was observable on the fins. It was forwarded to the Cambridge Zoological Museum. A Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), which was all white with the exception of the head and ventral fins, came to hand early in March. The first example of the Planer's Lamprey (Petromyzon branchialis) that I have been fortunate in identifying as locally occurring, I discovered on a heap of seaweed washed up at the harbour's mouth on April 10th. It measured 4½ in. in length, and was big in spawn; the ova, indeed, oozed from it. In the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' 'Transactions,' it is recorded as occurring at Keswick, where it is described as being "numerous in ditches containing small springs, to which this species appears to be attracted." The colour was dull green, relieved underneath by yellowish tints. On April 20th a faded example, long kept in ice, of the Ballan Wrasse (Labrus maculatus) was brought me from a trawler; it had undoubtedly been taken in a trawl-net "nor'ard of the Dogger," and is scarcely entitled to a place in the local list; the species has, however, been identified already at Yarmouth.—A. Patterson (Ibis House, Great Yarmouth).
