141 



by a sword-fisli.* Lophius Europoms was caught at Newnham, but a few 

 years since, and exhibited to the Club. The Anchovies, Engraulis 

 encrasicolus, Flerii, (which is not considered a common British fish,) 

 must be here in considerable abundance, for they are sometimes 

 caught to the number of a dozen in a tide, in the wicker baskets called 

 jmts, which are set for salmon, and it attains here the ftill size ascribed to 

 it by Yarrell — that is to say, to 6 or 7 inches in length, which is greater 

 than its usual size in the warmer seas, where it occurs in greater 

 abundance. Shrimps may be had for the taking ; and upon one occasion 

 (about 1845,) the river here was so full of sprats, that it was only 

 necessary to lower a basket into the water to obtain a supply. It may, 

 probably, be remembered that an extraordinaiy flight of the Arctic tern 

 passed inland as far as Worcester, about the same time, in such numbers as 

 to be readily knocked down by stones thrown amongst them. If we turn 

 over a stone or piece of drift-wood just within high- water mark, we disturb 

 swarms of Sandhoppers, Talitra lociista, or its more sedate companion, 

 Ligia oceanica, which the unscientific, would probably mistake for a 

 gigantic woodlouse. If still incredulous as to our vicinity to the sea, or to 

 marine conditions of life, we have only to feel our Avay careiully at low 

 water, along the edges of the Silurian rocks which stretch out into the river, 

 where the Dictyophyton foeniculaturn. grows upon them, to find a few peri- 

 winkles (Littorina littorea,) tellina crassa, or Syndosmya alba. Amongst the 

 Fuci, (Fucus vesiculatus) Littorina tenebrosa is not uncommon. The empty 

 shells of these species are foimd occasionally sparingly scattered over the 

 sands as far as Fretherne, but we have seldom met with living specimens 

 beyond this point. The current which brings them hither carries them, no 

 doubt, much further, but as there are no rocks to afford them shelter beyond 

 this place, except those of which the breakwaters are formed, they probably 

 become embedded at such depths, in the ever-shifting sands, as to deprive 

 them of life. 



Amongst the captures of rare fish made in the Severn, which have come 

 under our notice, may be mentioned the Morris, Leptocephalus Morrissii, 

 (Yarrell, vol. 2, p. 311,) of which, a specimen was taken at Framilode, in 

 May, 1845, and is now in the possession of T. B. LI. Baker, Esq., of 

 Hardwicke Court. 



Since the above was written, (m the month of Augitst, 1863,) several grampuses 

 ( Phocoena orca of CrviERJ have been captiu-ed in the Severn, near this place, 

 and one within three miles and a half of Gloucester. They are supposed to have 

 been in pursuit of a large shoal of salmon, as the unusual number of forty-five was 

 taken on the same day, at Minsterworth, near the place where the last named was 

 capture(L The largest of these was twenty-two feet and the smallest nine feet 

 in length. Porpoises {Phoccena communis) are seen here in small numbers much 

 more frequently, and the common species of seal ( Phoca vituliiiaj has been 

 seen repeatedly upon the English stones near Beachley within the last few years. 



