322 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



supply is good the cry of ' Fresh pollan ' prevails even to a greater extent 

 than that of ' Fresh herrings,' thongh both fish are in season at the 

 same period of the year. In the month of June, 1834, fifty hundreds 

 6150 individuals of pollan, and 1251b. weight of trout were taken at 

 one draught of a net at another part of the lake near Earns' Island, 

 which was the most successful capture made therefor twenty-four years." 

 This fish appears to have been very plentiful in 1834. 



It further seems that though the fish is indigenous to Lough Neagh, it 

 is by no means found universally over its area. Thompson remarks that 

 it rarely occurs between the rivers Mayola and Toone, while from the 

 Sixmile Water to Shane's Castle was so favourite a resort that a few 

 houses which formerly stood near the latter locality were named * ' Pol- 

 lan's Town " by some individual inclined to facetiousness. Of course, all 

 this productiveness may now be changed ; in fact, there can be no doubt 

 that it is, and that woefully for the worse so far as pollan fishing is 

 concerned. 



The average weight of the fish when in season is said to be about six 

 ounces, but I am constrained to believe that this estimate greatly out- 

 strips the true average. I have received from the locality mentioned by 

 Thompson several specimens in spirits, and not one goes over the average 

 size of Westminster dace. I say Westminster dace, because, on calling 

 on Gee, St. Andrew-street, one night, I found some splendid dace, which, 

 he averred, were taken from the Westminster neighbourhood. In fact, he 

 told me that his bait man never goes anywhere else for them. But this 

 is by the way. 



Thompson refers to pollan of 13in. long ; but Couch gives a description 

 of one of Gin. only. Even this is a large size ; but, as it was observed 

 by a careful naturalist, I shall give its technical description in pre- 

 ference to that of Thompson. Before doing so, however, I will refer to 

 its food. 



Yarrell says that in the stomach of a pollan given him by Mr. Thomp- 

 son he found a species of gammarus (fresh- water shrimp tribe). Thomp- 

 son also found the remains of the bivalve percidium, bits of stone and 

 gravel, stickleback fry, and remains of the Gam/mowus aquaticus. In 

 fact, sufficient evidence points to the conclusion that this fish feeds on 

 food almost identical with that of deep-water trout. Of course, I make a 

 reservation applying to flies in speaking of the latter. It therefore seems 

 more than likely that bait-fishing for pollan would be by no means unsuc- 

 cessful. 



The details of this fish are thus stated : The body moderately length- 

 ened, compressed, the proportions much as in a herring, the head 

 flattened, above and behind the eyes narrowest, and sinking at the 



