126 WILD LIFE OF SCOTLAND 



These fish visit the North Sea in summer, and 

 are occasionally taken on fishermen's lines in 

 considerable numbers. The local Fife name is 

 Jerusalem haddock, doubtless given because of the 

 mark of Peter's thumb on the shoulder. They 

 mainly frequent the deeper water; the comparat- 

 ively flat east coast, not being favourable to an 

 inshore life. Their very presence is unknown 

 to the average amateur angler. 



Plenty of sport, of an inferior kind, may be got 

 out of lythe and saithe. The latter abounds, is to 

 be met with everywhere, is easily hooked, gives 

 sufficient play, and grows to a considerable size. 

 But he does not appear in the shop windows, is 

 not served up on dinner-tables, is not such as the 

 successful angler cares to eat himself, or impose 

 upon his friends. And, when the excitement is 

 over, one cannot help feeling a little nasty as he 

 surveys the 40, or 50 Ibs. lying in the bottom of his 

 boat, for which he has no conceivable use. 



An ordinary Scotsman of course there are ex- 

 ceptions to all rules would as soon think of eating 

 a snake as a conger-eel ; and, if, by any chance he 

 hooked the latter in trying for some other fish, he 

 would be extremely glad to sever the connection 

 at the expense of his tackle. Any instructions as 



