THE COALFISII. 205 



Erehia Cassiope. On July 17th. I took this insect on Scawfell, at an elevation 

 of more than two thousand feet. 



Safyrns Davus, found among the hent, on the mountain side, July 24th, 



Fhisla hradca, honeysuckle, Augast 1st. 



JIt/ilrocampa nymplumta, together with Hypenodes Immidalis and Or ambus 

 margaritdlus, all on the wing, on a peat moss, at the foot of Derwent 

 Lake, August 4th. 



Einmelesia tccniata, beat from the hazel, four specimens on August 10th., 

 three on the 12th. 



£Ialf a-mile higher up the mountain side, amongst a broken line of crags, 

 I was fortunate enough to fall in with Stilhia anomalata, together with 

 Plusia interroyationis. 



Also taken from the crags, the following: — Anaitis plagiata, Coremia 

 olivaria, Coremia salicaria, Coremia ilidymaria, Ilemithea ct/thisaria^ Ilarpalyce 

 ocellata, Aplocera cccsiata^ Emmclesia ericctaria. 



On August 28th, I took from the rocks CwpJiasia hellana. 



Keswich, September , 1851. 



THE COALFISH, {MEBLANGUS CARBONARIUS) 



By nOBEKT GRAY, ESQ. 



Almost every one who is interested in the study of fishes, and who has 

 opportunities for taking notes, must look forward with some eagerness to 

 particular seasons when subjects are in most abundance. Not the least attractive 

 of these is the time of the Herring fishery, or drave as it is called in the east 

 of Scotland; for not only does the icthyologist, if he be a man of business, 

 participate in the general stir which it occasions, but he has many chances 

 of enriching his collection, and of adding to his stores of knowledge. The 

 nets of the fishermen, besides yielding marketable produce, often bring to 

 light important facts; and perhaps the most remarkable example that has 

 occurred for some time within our observation, is one regarding the species 

 which heads this notice. It is almost too generally known to require repetition 

 here, that the vast shoals of Herrings which appear on our coasts in summer, 

 afford a i*ich supply of food to many Sharks, and other fishes with a voracious 

 appetite. Of these may be particularized the Dogfish, [Spinax acanthias,) 

 the Porbeagle, {Lamna Cornuhica,) which in some seasons we have seen 

 hunting in troops numbering a score, and the Hake, (Merlucius vulgaris,^ 

 The last-named, though one of the Gadidas, or the family of Codfish, will 

 equal in voracity any small Shark; and to the Coalfish, the subject of our 

 remarks, we apply the same observation without limits. 



About six weeks ago, this fish appeared in Dunbar Bay in considerable 

 numbers, and under very peculiar circumstances; and a more destructive 



