80 GADUS ESMAKKII, NILSSON, THE NORWAY POUT. 



The credit of the discovery of the Norway pout in the south-western 

 district, and of its recognition as distinct from any Gaclus previously 

 recorded in the local fauna, is entirely due to Mr. Dunn. My own 

 share in the matter is confined to the specific identification of the 

 material, a matter of small difficulty, owing to an extensive previous 

 acquaintance with the species on the west coast of Ireland and in the 

 North Sea. 



Though the species has been discussed at some length as 

 recently as 1895,* a short recapitulation of its history appears 

 convenient. 



Originally discovered by Esmark, in 1844, as an inhabitant of the 

 Norwegian coast, its range was subsequently extended by Lutken to the 

 Faroe Islands. 



In 1888 it made its first appearance in British records, being found in 

 comparative abundance by Giinther among the fishes collected by 

 Murray on the west coast of Scotland. 



It was next recorded by myself, in 1890 and 1891, from the west 

 coast of Ireland, where it occurred, during the Royal Dublin Society's 

 survey, in considerable numbers, a great many of my specimens being 

 found, as was the case with Mr. Dunn's, in the stomachs of larger fishes ; 

 and in 1892 I was able to extend its range again, from the examination 

 of stomach contents, to the Great Fisher Bank in the North Sea. It is 

 therefore apparent that, in so far as regards the date of capture, Mr. 

 Dunn's specimens actually represent the second occurrence of the 

 species within the liritish area. 



It is not a shallow -water fish, having hitherto been found, or at 

 any rate recorded, only between 26 and 144 fathoms, a fact which 

 may partially account for its having so generally escaped attention 

 at the hands of naturalists. Fishermen would naturally regard it 

 with unconcern, since it never grows to a marketable size, and bears, 

 moreover, a very close resemblance to a common and, from the market 

 point of view, equally worthless form, Gadus minutus. 



Probably it may prove to be common enough at suitable depths 

 around our coasts, though it may perhaps not extend into the English 

 Channel or further south, since our continental neighbours, who take 

 a gastronomic interest in even smaller fish, would in such case be likely 

 to have noticed it. 



The specimens forwarded by Mr. Dunn to the Laboratory are two 

 in number, and, taken as they were from the stomach of a pollack, 

 are naturally not in the most perfect condition, though quite sufficiently 

 so for identification. One, which is complete, measures 1\ inches in 

 total length, while the original length of the other, which has lost 



• Holt and Calderwood, Sci. Trans. B, Duh, Soc, v. 1895, ix. p. 431. 



