196 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



habits of the Boar-Fish, but it appears to frequent 

 moderately deep water in close proximity to rocks, 

 and it is worth noting that up to 1843-44, when 

 the trawl nets seem to have first invaded their 

 haunts, they were considered of great rarity, but 

 from that time were taken in great numbers." 



A second example 6 inches long was found on 

 1st May 1882. 



SwORD-FlSH 



On 30th November 1881 a Sword-Fish (XipUas 

 gladius) was stranded at Sea Palling, a spot where 

 several most interesting and rare fishes have obtruded 

 themselves upon the notice of the public, amongst 

 which may be specially mentioned the first recorded 

 Norfolk Black-Fish (Centrolophus pomphilus), which 

 was cast ashore there, still living, on 27th March 

 1900. The Sword-Fish in question measured 7 feet 

 3 inches in length; of this the sword, slightly 

 broken at the end, was 27 inches long. There 

 was a quantity of diluted pease-soup-like matter 

 in the stomach. A 9-feet example managed to 

 mix itself up in some mackerel-nets in September 

 1893, and was taken into Lowestoft. 



