84 PLAGUE OF DOG-FISH. [PART T. 



find their way far up into the larger lochs,) with 

 several other species, "quos mine describere Ion- 

 gum est." Nurse are not generally considered 

 very good for the table, but I met last year a 

 gentleman who told me "in confidence," that he 

 considered them, as a foundation for soup, better 

 than any other fish, adding that from their being 

 held in slight estimation by others he generally 

 managed to get on easy terms those which were 

 caught in his neighbourhood. I hope he won't be 

 angry with me for " blowing on " his secret. 



Last spring (1858) the North West coast of 

 Scotland was visited by a plague of Dog-fish, 

 which swarmed in such inconceivable numbers that 

 the ordinary deep sea-fishing was rendered almost 

 entirely nugatory, much to the injury of the poor 

 fishermen, who in great measure rely upon the 

 produce of this occupation for their living. It 

 was perfectly useless to set long lines, for only 

 the Skeletons of the Cod, &c. were brought up, 

 the voracious Dog-fish having torn them to pieces 

 and picked their bones on the hooks. It was in- 

 deed as much as they could do, even when fishing 

 with hand-lines, to bring any to the surface before 

 pieces had been bitten out of them. I have been 

 told of an instance where a fisherman hauled in 



