FISH NOTES 195 



'Runnel Stone,' on the west coast of Cornwall, 

 where Couch says it may be always found in large 

 numbers. It is probably more local than rare, and 

 has been met with twice in Scotland, as far as 

 the Moray Firth and Banffshire, in the Humber, 

 and now at Yarmouth, as recorded by Mr. Patterson. 

 But it is on the south and south-east coast where 

 it is met with in large numbers. In July 1844 

 Couch says that more than two hundred were ob- 

 tained on the Cornish coast ; in 1843 Mr. Gatcombe 

 saw large numbers, probably more than one thousand 

 of them ; at Plymouth they lined the shore, having 

 been thrown overboard by the trawlers. Day 

 (British Fishes) says that they have become a 

 perfect pest of late years, compelling the trawlers 

 to change their fishing-grounds in order to get 

 out of their way. From the Start to the Lizard 

 Mr. Dunn says they are very common, and seem 

 to be on the increase. Thousands are yearly caught 

 by the Plymouth trawlers, and thousands more by 

 the drift fishermen. Being useless, these fish are 

 usually thrown overboard, and thus it is probably 

 that so many are found upon the shore dead or 

 dying. In 1879 great numbers were found thus 

 on the south coast. Very little is known of the 



