Zoology. 1 8 1 



[Cyprinus carpio. — The introduced Carp is to be found 

 in various ponds, and the Gold-fish (Carassius auratus) 

 flourishes in many mill-dams.] 



Gobio fluviatilis. — The Gudgeon is found in various 

 rivers, and is fairly common in Lough Neagh. 



Leuciscus erythrophthalmus. — The Rudd is com- 

 mon in our rivers and lakes ; it is usually called " Roach." 

 [Note. — It is noteworthy that neither the Roach, Chub, nor 

 Dace occurs in Ireland.] 



L. phoxinus. — The Minnow is local in its distribution, 

 being rare in some places, while Ogilby found it abundant 

 in the Main river and Kellswater, Co. Antrim. 



Tinea vulgaris.— The Tench is local and nowhere 

 common. 



Abramis brama. — The Bream is found in many rivers, 

 and is common at certain seasons in Lough Neagh, where 

 it is caught in the trout-nets. 



Clupea harengus. — The Herring is uncertain in its 

 visits, and of late years the Ardglass fishery has sadly dim- 

 inished. In 1874 Ardglass possessed a fleet of about 400 

 herring boats, all fully employed ; now there are only 

 about 100, and very few are local boats. The value of 

 the fish caught thirty years ago would be about ^80,000 

 per annum; now it is barely ^10,000 per annum on the 

 average. 



C. pilchardus.— With us the Pilchard is merely a strag- 

 gler, but it has been occasionally taken in Belfast Lough, 

 and the same may be said of the Sprat ( C. sprattus). 



C. alosa — The Allis Shad is decidedly rare; one was 

 taken off Holy wood in August 1888 (R. Lloyd Patterson) 

 and one off Donaghadee early in 1896 (Irish Nat., vol. v, 

 p. 191). 



C. finta. — The Twaite Shad is also very rare, but has 

 been taken in Belfast Lough and off Newcastle. 



Anguilla vulgaris. — The Eel fishery is probably one 

 of the most important in the district. Large quantities are 

 taken in the Bann in the autumn months (Thompson 

 mentions 70,000 in one night at Toome) while they are on 

 their way to the sea, and more are caught on long-lines and 

 draft-nets in Lough Neagh. 



