AN angler's notes ON DAGENHAM l,AKK. 147 



Pike or Jack {Esox //tdus).— AW sizes, from ciuite small up to 

 twelve and fourteen pounds each. 



Eel, Common Sharp-nosed {Angiiil/a aciiiirostris). 



Eel, Snig {A. mediorostris). 



Trout are said to have been taken, but I have never seen any ; 

 and Flounders have probably been only accidental visitors. 



This fishery has much deteriorated during the last ten years ; the 

 fishes now taken being fewer in number and much smaller in size 

 than of old. The following circumstances have doubtless helped to 

 cause this. 



Some tons of fishes were poisoned a few years since, by the acci- 

 dental admission into the lake, through a broken sluice, of an immense 

 quantity of floating slime and other matters from the deodorizing 

 works at the sewage outfall on the opposite bank of the Thames. 



The direct flow of water from the Beam river (which at times 

 caused a perceptible current through the lake) has been almost totally 

 stopped, the old communication being choked up. 



The smoke from steamships on the Thames, when a southerly 

 wind is blowing, passes over the lake, and much soot falls upon the 

 water. This is very injurious. 



A large ditch communicating with a pool on the north side of the 

 lake, and which used to be the great retreat for the larger fishes at 

 spawning time, has been-filled up. The new roadway now passes over 

 it, and the communication is stopped. 



The fishery would, I feel sure, soon improve if a new opening 

 between this old spawning pool and the lake were cut, and the old 

 direct flow from the Beam river renewed. 



There has been much controversy on the subject of the sense of 

 hearing in fishes ; its existence being denied by some on account of 

 the absence of auricular apertures, while asserted by others from 

 practical experiment. An experience I have many times had at 

 Dagenham may, to some extent, perhaps, be new or interesting, and 

 may help to throw some light upon this subject. 



I have seen thousands of fishes leaping out of the water at the 

 same instant, over all the surface of the lake, as far as my sight could 

 take cognisance. I knew that it was common to see shoals of fish 

 leap out when suddenly attacked by a pike, but at such times the 

 space covered would never exceed a few scjuare yards, and that this 

 very general appearance of fright must be from some very different 

 cause. 



