53 



FAUNISTIC NOTES. 



By B. STORROW. 



Acanthias vulgaris. — During the latter part of 1915, and 

 especially in October, large quantities of dog fish were landed at 

 North Shields. Most of them were caught about 70 miles N.E. 

 by E. of the Tyne ; smaller numbers came from the North East 

 Bank, and still smaller numbers from nearer the coast. On 13th 

 October, a number of females were examined for eggs, but these 

 had not developed. A general impression was formed that the 

 males were more numerous than the females, and were of larger 

 size. To test this, two heaps of dogfish, which had been caught 

 70 miles N.E. by E. of the Tyne, were taken indiscriminately 

 from the fish quay and examined on 18th October, and gave the 

 following result : — 



Thunnus thynnus. — A tunny, 8 feet 6 inches long, was found 

 on the sands to the north of Whitley Bay, 4th December, 1915. 

 The fish was a male, and from the condition of the gonads had 

 recovered after spawning, but had not commenced to prepare 

 for the next spa^vning. There were no signs of external injury, 

 and the internal organs were all in a healthy condition. The fish 

 was quite fresh, and some of the flesh was taken and found to be 

 delicious. In the posterior part of the intestine, about 8 or 9 

 inches from the anus, was a large double hook, about 4j inches 

 long and \\ inches between the points and the shaft. 



Cantharus griseus. — A specimen of the black sea bream, 

 40 cm. long, was obtained November, 1911, from a North Shields 

 trawler, which had been fishing on the local Prawn Ground. No 

 record of this fish was given in the Report for that year. 



Argentina silus. — Small quantities of this fish have been 

 landed at North Shields during the latter part of June and the 

 beginning of July by trawlers which have been fishing about 180 

 miles N.E. of the Tyne, in depths varying from 4G to 71 fathoms. 



