184 Guide to Belfast. 



Pristiurus melanostomus. — The Black-mouthed 

 Dog-fish is very rare ; Thompson records two taken at Port- 

 rush, but gives no date. 



Acanthias vulgaris. — This fisherman's pest, the Picked 

 Dogfish, is sometimes very abundant, and is by far our 

 commonest species. Ogilby describes (^ZW., 1876, p. 4904) 

 how the Cod and Ling fishery of Portrush was almost totally 

 ruined that season by the enormous numbers of Dog-fish, 

 and R. Lloyd Patterson has taken 118 in the course of an 

 afternoon's fishing in Belfast Lough. 



Rhina squatina. — The Monk-fish is very rare here; 

 Thompson mentions five occurrences. I have a photograph 

 of one over 6 ft. long, taken at Portrush, September 1888; 

 John Brown wrote me of one he caught in July 1890 in 

 Dundrum Bay, 4 ft. 2 ins. long ; and R. Lloyd Patterson 

 records one taken off Cultra, Belfast Lough, September 

 1 90 1, I ft. 95 ins. long {Irish Nat., 1901, P- 230). 



Raia batis. — Fairly common in Belfast Lough, the 

 Grey Skate seems to be more numerous further north. 

 Large examples of 6 and 7 feet long are sometimes taken. 



R. alba. — The White Skate is very rare ; Thompson 

 found the remains of an immense specimen at Annalong, 

 County Down, in September 185 1. 



R. fullonica. — The Shagreen Ray is not uncommon at 

 Portrush, but elsewhere it is not well known. 



R. clavata. — The Thornback Ray is common, and is 

 taken in enormous numbers near Portrush, being shipped 

 fresh to the Liverpool market (Ogilby). 



R. maculata. — The Spotted Ray is almost as common 

 as the preceding, but is considered here worthless as food. 



R. circularis. — Not uncommon on the bank off 

 Portrush, where Ogilby caught ten Sandy Rays in eleven 

 months. 



CVCLOSTOMATA. 



Petromyzon marinus. — The Sea Lamprey is not 

 uncommon in certain places, but is not used, and is generally 

 little known. 



P. fluviatilis. — The River Lamprey is found in Lough 

 Neauh and its rivers, and other rivers in the district. It is 



