STROMATEID^. 113 



As food. This fish does not appear to be held in any estimation in the 

 Mediterranean, but those which have been eaten along the British coasts have 

 been reported as of excellent flavour, their flesh being white, soft, and flaky. 



Habitat. The Mediterranean, where, although common off Nice, it is 

 generally rare : occasional wanderers appear off the British Isles, and in the 

 Atlantic as far south as Madeira. It occurs along the coasts of France, the south 

 coast of England, and one straggler was taken off Northumberland, another off 

 Yorkshire. An example has likewise been recorded off the south coast of Iroland. 



As previously observed, the two first taken in these isles were captured at Looe, 

 May 26th, 1721. Since that time Couch mentions one which was taken in 

 November, 1830, in a floating net set for salmon, and such was the force exerted 

 by this fish that it carried the net before it over the head rope, when it fell into 

 the folds and became entangled. A second is referred to by the same author as 

 caught near Polperro in 1831, on a handline baited with a slice of mackerel. 

 Another came with a ship into the harbour of St. Ives, and while there suffered 

 itself to be caught with a gaff from a boat alongside. In 1841, one 14 inches 

 in length was taken at Lossiemouth. August 27, 1850, one was taken at Falmouth 

 in a drift net, in which it was entangled by the teeth. Mr. Alder, in his address to 

 the " Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club," 1850, records one captured at Cullercoats 

 in Northumberland, and which was placed in the museum. Rudd (Zoologist, 

 1852, p. 3504) observes that one was taken at Redcar, in Yorkshire. In February, 

 1857, one was obtained near Penzance, while R. Couch records another, 9 inches 

 long, which came into his possession in the autumn of the same year. June 11th, 



1870, two were captured in a trammel or flue-net set in Mount's Bay. In 



1871, Mr. Andrews mentions one taken off the Irish coast. In July, 1872, 

 Mr. Gatcome remarks (Zoologist, 1872, p. 3236) one 12| inches long and 3| deep, 

 was taken in a mackerel net off Deadman, it appeared to have followed 

 a large Porbeagle shark, which was captured in the same net at a few feet distance. 

 June 15th, 1877, one was taken in a seine off Babbicombe, near Torquay (Gosse, 

 Zool.). In August, 1878, one 22 inches long and 4 lb. weight, was taken in a 

 trammel off Helford. Doubtless many other examples which have not been 

 recorded have been captured along the south coast. Mr. Dunn observes that he has 

 known about a dozen taken at Mevagissey, and every one could be traced to be 

 following or near a large fish, generally a shark. Not long since a shark entered the 

 harbour and when leaving it passed some small boats moored near the pier head. 

 When the tide ebbed the boats grounded in a pool, and close by the keel of one 

 a black-fish was taken. It was supposed that it had mistaken the boat for its 

 companion. 



The specimen, figured life size, is in the British Museum collection. This 

 fish attains to at least 3 feet in length. Professor Cliglioli was good enough 

 to send me an example, 30 inches long, from the coast of Italy. 



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