Pollack, Hake, Fork-Heard and Ling. 69 



never grows beyond 84 inches, but those we have examined have 

 been under that, or from 5J to 7 inches long, some even less. 

 It seems to be most nearly allied to the pout (some think it a 

 variety), but it has quite as close a resemblance to the whiting, 

 from which, however, the presence of a barbel at once distin- 

 guishes it. Most fishermen see no distinction between them 

 and whiting; any big enough to pass muster being disposed 

 of as such. Those that I have shewn the difference to, and in- 

 terrogated as to its being their mythical " Fenian," have not 

 been disposed to take that view.* Such as we have opened have 

 proved shrimp-eaters. 



(9) POLLACK, or Whiting Pollack (Gadus pollachius). Webb 

 says this is hooked from the pier at Dover. In the summer it 

 is regularly caught at Deal (a 16 Ib. fish recorded in 1889), and 

 towards Ramsgate. Said also to be brought into Harwich 

 (Dale). We have hinted how some Leigh fishermen call the 

 Pout a Whiting Pollack, but others believe they have caught 

 the true pollack.f We have not been fortunate in coming across 

 any Thames Estuary examples. 



(10-12) On the authority of Webb (Handb.) we name (10) the 

 CoALFTSHor Green Pollack (Gadus virens)&s having been obtained 

 at Dover. (11) The HAKE (Merluccius vulgaris) is another of 

 the uncommon gadoids that seldom pays us a visit. Dr. Laver 

 (op. ctV.) vouches for one captured on the Essex coast, and quotes 

 Dale and Lindsey for their presence at Harwich. Webb like- 

 wise announces it as landed at Dover. (12) Again, such is the 

 rare LESSER FORK-BEAKD (Eaniceps raninus), whereof one 4| 

 inches long is said to have been taken by Mr. S. W. Waud in 

 the Crouch river, May, 1858 (Day), and several times brought 

 ashore by fishermen on the South Kent coast (Webb). 



(13) The LING (Molva wdgaris) . We are inclined to believe 

 that this member of the Codfish family has not hitherto been 

 recorded from the Kent and Essex district. It has appeared, 



* One individual recognised it as the " Grass Whiting." 



t An old fisherman assures us the true Whiting-Pollack frequented the Crouch 

 above Burnham a few years ago, but we have had no corroboration of this. 



