152 A DAY ON THE CROUCH RIVEK. 



land's famous "heat and trarKjuillity "' formula. Let us hope this 

 valuable spat will not be killed in the winter, as was the case in 

 1880.2 



Of fish we found Flounder (one), Plaice (common), Dal) (com- 

 mon), Sole (several), Dogfish (one, certainly a young Galeus milgaris). 

 Bullhead {Agojius cafaphraetus, several), Fatherlasher {Cotiiis scorpius 

 and C. bubalis, common as usual), and several young Thornbacks 

 i^Raia elavatd). The young Tope had been feeding, apparently 

 freely, on crabs and shrimps It was differentiated from the picked 

 Dogfish by the fishermen through its rough coat. They showed us how 

 to scrub the decks with the skin, and it certainly did it very well. 



On November 8th, I had another day's trawling at Burnham, but 

 which, from a fisherman's point of view — my object then — was not a 

 very satisfactory one. We took one Eel-pout {Zoarces viviparus\ one 

 of our few viviparous fish. After it had been dead some time, I took 

 from it fifty-five young, all very lively. Four of that little purplish 

 wriggler, the Diminutive Lumpv-sucker {Liparis montagiii) and one 

 Sea-Snail {Liparis vulgaris), besides tlie usual, but a poor, catch of 

 "Bull-routs" (local name for the Fatherlashers, Cotius), Dabs, 

 Flounders, and Plaice. One Bull-rout contained a Whiting as long 

 as itself, and several contained two crabs, besides sundry shrimps and 

 prawns. I believe they are fully as voracious as they look, and that 

 is saying a good deal. 



In my previous notes I ought to have said that during the day 

 (July 28th) we landed on Fowlness for the purpose of inspecting the 

 Shell-bank already referred to in the Essex Naturalist (ii. 268, and 

 iii. 39), and found that certainly the bulk of the schram consisted of 

 Cockle-shells, but some few other species were present ; all, of course, 

 dead and broken. This Shell-bank, probably an old Sea-beach, may 

 be easily traced from Sales Point, Bradwell, at the mouth of the 

 Blackwater, to Shelford Creek, between Fowlness and New England 

 islands. Besides these places it gives the name to many farms, as 

 Old and New Mountsales ( = the shelly mound), the How (=the 

 hole), and to many fields. 



Here, on Fowlness, the sea lavender {Staiice) was in the greatest 

 abundance and just in full bloom — a lovely sight. 



I do not think anything further remains so be recorded of a very 

 pleasant and by no means unprofitable day's work. 



2 Unfortunately this has happened; the destruction of oyster-brood during the late se\ere 

 weather has been enormous. 



