130 The Angler and Cat-fish. 



fish in the North Sea, and the Ramsgate and other deep-sea 

 trawlers sometimes get them up to 6 ft. long. Those obtained 

 strictly within the Thames area are sometimes smaller fish, 

 merely stragglers in their way. Take for example one of 32 in. 

 caught in the Colne 1866 ? ; another off the Maplins 1863, 4 ft. 

 4 in. long, and a third trawled between the Nore and Jenkins, 

 November, 1898, whose dimensions were 1(H in. long, the body 

 half that, and not much less in breadth. This latter fish con- 

 tained a whiting only a couple inches shorter than itself. 

 Among others a large one captured close to Holehaven 

 (Thames) in 1867 ? ; a considerable sized example taken in 

 stow-net near Whitstable, January, 1869,? which W. P. 

 Coleman sent to Buckland for casting. Fitch tells us of a 

 30-inch specimen got in the Black water, 8th June, 1890. At 

 Dover and Folkestone the fishermen often bring them in. They 

 are ugly fish destroyers, and their eggs float as a great sheet of 

 spawn. 



Regarded in the light of a food-fish the flesh of the Angler 

 is not unpalatable, but like the Cat-fish, the great head is so 

 repulsive as to raise prejudice.* Hence at Grimsby the fleshy 

 sides only are cut out and exposed for sale. When taken in 

 our District it graces the fishmonger's slab as gazing-stock, or 

 the fishermen make a show of them. 



The Blenny Family (Blenniidce). Among these the only 

 really marketable one is (1.) the CAT-PISH (Anarrhichas lu,pus\), 

 also known as " Sea Wolf," and whereof a solitary example has 

 been referred to by Dr. Laver (op. cit.) as captured at Walton- 

 on-the-Naze, 29th August, 1885. It is truly a North Sea (and 

 sub- Arctic) fish, enormous numbers being daily brought in to 

 Aberdeen and Grimsby markets. Indeed of late years it has 



* In January, 1001, several " Pocket Fish " were taken in the whitebaiters' stow- 

 nets east off Southend Pier. A large one got by J. Noakes seized a pole pushed into 

 the net, and holding it fast was thus lifted on deck. The fishermen have lately found 

 out the value of their tail-flesh, and no longer despise pieces therefrom for home use. 

 Thus a large Angler stranded in the Hadleigh Ray the end of January was quickly 

 cut up by the oystermen. It was stated to be a female nearly ripe for spawning. 

 (F. Bridge.) 



t Consult Mclntosh and Prince on its Development and Life-History. Trans. Roy. 

 Soc. Edin. Vol. XXV. p. 874 (1890). 



