THE SAND-LAUNCE. 893 



Isles by Mr Low, who records it as being a common fish, 

 and constantly used as bait for other fishes. It is exces- 

 sively common on the shores of Scotland, as well as on 

 the east, west, and south coasts of England ; it also occurs 

 along the coast of Ireland, and, according to Mr Lukis, 

 on the authority of Mr Yarrell, both species are met 

 with at Guernsey. It, like the A. tohianus, inhabits sandy 

 ground, and conceals itself under the surface. These fish 

 are much sought after by fishermen, who put much va- 

 lue on them as bait ; and on the south coast of Devon 

 they are taken in such numbers with a net, that " they 

 are usually sold to Dieppe fishermen for twenty pence the 

 bushel."'"' They are very plentiful in the summer months in 

 the Firth of Forth, especially on the sands above Queens- 

 ferry, where the A. tobianus is never found. At Mussel- 

 burgh and Portobello the two species inhabit the same 

 locality. They are caught after the recess of the tide in 

 the wet sand, by scraping away the surface with a rake or 

 a stout stick, when they are observed twisting about with 

 the greatest activity, and will, if not soon taken up, conceal 

 therriselves again beneath the sand. I have seen these fish 

 swimming about in large shoals, but they refused to take 

 a bait of any description. Their food is said to be marine 

 worms and very small fishes. They frequently appear in 

 the Edinburgh market during the summer months, and are 

 sold by the measure. On the south coast of England they are 

 salted and dried for winter use. The period of their spawn- 

 ing has been differently stated by different authors ; I have 

 not myself been able to detect ova in them sufficiently ad- 

 vanced to form an opinion as to the period of their deposi- 

 tion. 



