FISH NOTES 219 



Was it a Rock Salmon ? What was it ? The fisher- 

 men didn't know. I informed them it was a full- 

 grown Pollack ; it weighed SO Ibs. and was 3 feet 

 long. 



" There you are ! " said one fellow to the others. 

 " I've won the bet. I said it wasn't a Rock Salmon." 

 Noisily thanking me, they bundled out, and went 

 away. How much money changed hands I do not 

 know; they were all sporting men of a sort. 

 And I had unwittingly been party to a bet ! 



THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS 



I went on board a fishing smack in June 1890, 

 and in a large tub found twenty-two little Monk-Fish 

 (Squatina vulgaris) swimming about contentedly 

 enough in translucent water taken out at sea. 

 The mother of this large family had been captured 

 off the Dogger Bank, and when shot on to the 

 deck gave birth to them, the interested fishermen 

 transferring them immediately to this improvised 

 aquarium. The adult fish, which died soon after, 

 was 49 inches in length. She was of a light 

 sandy hue, the little ones being a grey colour 

 spotted minutely with white and brown. Two 



