220 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



that I purchased are now in Norwich Museum ; 

 they are 11 inches in length. 



On a warm sunny afternoon in July 1900 the 

 river was alive with " Whitebait " (immature 

 Herrings), which flashed about like a myriad living 

 strips of burnished silver. The Eels in the river 

 were hungry, and many, to the surprise of those 

 who witnessed it, left their muddy haunts below 

 and came to the surface, dashing hither and thither 

 after the savoury little morsels ! 



In October 1890 a 6 -inch Smelt, either to 

 escape some pursuer, or because " stung " by sewage, 

 flung itself quite out of the water and landed in 

 the well of my punt, where it remained until I 

 could attend to it. 



An extraordinary invasion of Codlings took 

 place in October 1890, when day after day 

 thousands came up the Yare and swarmed in 

 Breydon. They were ravenously on feed, and 

 afforded some marvellous sport, every available 

 boat being requisitioned. They bit at anything, 

 and did not usually wait for the bait to sink beneath 

 the surface. Two and three at a time would 

 immolate themselves; and folks staggered home 

 under loads they did not seem to know what to 



