FISHES. 169 



gigantic tangles to tlie fine cod and coal-fish of the Zetlandic 

 seas, which also possess the rarer Chimcera. While it is thus 

 vain to look for the vast variety or the gorgeous colours of the 

 species which a few hours' fishing off the shores of Guernsey 

 brings before the investigator, or for the plenitude of large 

 forms which in the north soon fill the boat to overflowing, yet 

 there is sufficient success to reward exertion, either in deep 

 water or off the sea-margin. Good white and flat fish occur 

 in the bay, the latter especially abounding on the sandy flats 

 off the West Sands, which thus form a rich ground for the 

 trawlers, who are for the most part strangers. The trawl in 

 common use (see accompanying figure, and also view of 

 of Harbour at the end of the Fishes) consists of a beam of 



iV'^<'"f'<\\-il{,f!f<^'^*"^ ''- 'T^>"4'='?5^^(5^"rV^;^ 



wood about 28 feet long, borne on the top of the bulbous ends 

 of two pear-shajDed iron structures. A large bag net is fixed 

 to the apparatus, which is dragged behind the boat by ropes 

 attached to the convex portion of the iron supports. The under 

 surface of the latter is flattened, and the point of the apex 

 (which is posterior) turned upwards — the whole thus forming 

 a kind of subaqueous sledge, which glides over the sand and 

 embraces in its progress every thing loose. Young coal-fishes 

 occur all round the rocks and harbom" ; occasionally a sea-trout 

 is captured oft' the former; sand-eels frequent the sand near low 

 water ; and the salmon-nets are often very productive. In the 

 rock-pools swim hundi'cds of little two-spotted gobies, swarms 

 of the beautifully colom-ed young of the lumpsucker, and 

 strings of young sand-eels sport in the sunshine amongst the 

 fringes of seaweeds like flashes of silvery light — affording witii 

 other littoral fonns, such as shaunics and blennies, ample food 

 for the aquatic birds that frequent the beach. 



The rarer forms include the lancelet, garfish, doree, opah. 

 oar-fish, and bonito. 



