92 Further Fishes Mixed with Whitebait. 



evidently founded on error. What he refers to, is in reality the 

 fully adult or nearly mature and very transparent White Goby 

 (Aphia). Put before a Greenwich or Gravesend fisherman, as 

 we have done, he at once pronounces them " Rooshians," as do 

 the Leighmen. Their abundance during the Crimean War 

 gave rise to the cognomen still retained. 



Pipe-fishes from late spring to autumn are of frequent 

 occurrence among the catches. Usually they are in great 

 part weeded out ; notwithstanding, from their narrow 

 needle-shape, a few escape observation, and those 2f to 8J 

 inches long are found among cooked whitebait. Eel-Pouts 

 (or Viviparous Blenny) 3f and 5J inches long have come 

 under our observation in the " bait " boxes ; though this fish 

 is wonderfully abundant in the Hadleigh Ray during winter. 

 It is said that at Queenborough sometimes a large number 

 are caught and got rid of. 



As to the Lesser Sand-Eels, they, like the gorebills, create 

 immense havoc among the shore whitebait, &c., during the 

 summer months. Those from 3 to 4 inches long and over 

 simply crowd the drag-net from June to July. In a most un- 

 usual instance at the end of July we reckoned by guess in one 

 box of whitebait there would be nearly a quarter (25 per cent.) 

 of these sand-eels this after culling. Other boxes in June and 

 July might contain i, J, or ^ sand-eels. These fish pass 

 muster with the cook, and as prepared with boiling dripping 

 eat deliciously. 



While the Sand-smelt along the shores of the English 

 Channel is fished for and does duty there for the true 

 smelt, yet within the limits of our District no special 

 fishery for them exists, though in summer its presence in 

 the several estuaries Medway particularly and towards 

 Dungeness is most frequent. The young sand-smelts ordinarily 

 are the reverse of rare among whitebait despatched to market. 

 We have got them of 2| inches long in February, again in June 

 turned 3 inches, and over 4 inches in July. Their shiny striped 



