Pllot-Jish and John Dory. 117 



estuary. About the s;imo time others were secured near Rye. 

 At Dover since then single ones occasionally turn up. The 

 kettle-nets in the neighbourhood of Dungeness, it is said, have 

 entrapped them on several occasions. This small fish, seldom 

 above 6 inches long, is rather noted for its gaudy, rich 

 orange-red hues than value as food product, though averred 

 to be of delicious flavour. 



(3.) The PILOT FISH (Naucrates deduetor), a wanderer from 

 foreign climes in following an inward-bound ship, is quite a 

 chance visitant to our coast. One was taken in the mackerel 

 nets of a Folkestone fisherman (Mr. Baker) in October, 1S68. 

 Another seen in Ramsgate Harbour, September, 1868 ?; a 

 fisherman stunned and caught it with a boathook. It is 

 said they have been hooked at Dover. 



Fam. Cyttidce. The JOHN DORY (Zeus faber). Authorities 

 on British fish state that this fish is rare on the east coast 

 of England, yet small and moderate sized ones are not alto- 

 gether so in the Thames estuary. Here it certainly is not 

 very common that the adults are taken in abundance, but 

 nevertheless every year a good few are caught both in the 

 stow-net and in the shrimp-trawl. It appears to be pretty 

 well distributed below the Nore, but rarely is caught above 

 this. By way of examples we may note one 8 inches long 

 got in stow-net in the South Channel, 1868 (Baxter) ; a 

 similar capture when spratting in the " Deeps," winter, 1872 ? 

 (R. Johnson) to the best of his recollection, say 15 inches 

 long, and he well remembers it providing a good meal to 

 all his family ; over a dozen have passed through J. Fryer's 

 hands of late, 10 inches to over 18 inches in extreme length. 

 Indeed, for the last couple of years few boats have failed 

 to bring in an odd one at intervals, small or big. 



The extremes of sizes of those we have more particularly 

 examined have been 4| inches to 17 inches. The former in 

 beginning of May, the latter end of November. The big one 

 had a bodily depth of 7 inches minus fins, and weighed '2, Ik 



