FISHES 



It is a regrettable fact that salmon and sea-trout are now almost 

 extinct in those rivers of Sussex in which they were formerly not 

 uncommon. I have however been able to ascertain that a considerable 

 number of sea-trout, grilse and sometimes salmon are occasionally sent 

 to fishmongers in Brighton from the lower part of the Ouse. The 

 fishermen have been left entirely to themselves for many years, and of 

 course net the river in illegal ways. The only attempt hitherto to 

 stop this illegal fishing was made in May, 1901, by a private body, the 

 Ouse Preservation Society, who, with the sanction of the Board of Con- 

 servators, obtained a conviction against two fishermen. 



It is a fact not generally known that the trout in some of the rivers 

 in Sussex visit the sea in considerable numbers. I have seen trout with 

 all the markings of brown trout caught in nets at some miles distant 

 from the mouth of any river. This habit of the trout has been noticed 

 many times. 



There is apparently good evidence to show that dace are not in- 

 digenous to some at any rate of the rivers in Sussex where they are now 

 very numerous. This is notably the case with the Ouse. The only 

 way in which their presence can be accounted for is that the Ouse 

 was formerly celebrated for pike fishing, and attracted a considerable 

 number of fishermen from London, who brought live dace with them 

 as baits. Some of these must have been turned loose at the end of the 

 day's fishing and have bred freely. Men who fished the Ouse between 

 thirty and forty years ago all agree that there were then no dace in the 

 river. At the present time they swarm there. 



TELEOSTEANS 



ACANTHOPTERYGII **3. Bass or Sea Bass. Moro>ie lahrox, Linn. 

 *i. Perch. Perca Jiuviatilisy Linn. Large shoals of small bass travel some dis- 



This fish is common in most of the rivers tance up the rivers in the summer months, 



and ponds fed by streams. As a rule speci- This is particularly noticeable m the Cuck- 



mens do not reach a size of more than half mere River, where they sometimes go up as 



a pound, though sometimes heavier are re- high as Alfriston. The common people m 



corded. The largest which has come under some localities call the fish ' white salmon.' 

 my personal observation weighed just over 



three pounds, and was caught at Horsted 4. Maigre. Sclana aquila, Cuv. et Val. 



y"^^' A specimen from Hastings is recorded in 



*2. Pope or Ruff. Acerina cernua, Linn. 1867 and one from Brighton in 1868. Since 



This species is common in some localities then many have been recorded from the 

 only. Sussex coast. 



Note. — A single asterisk (*) accompanies the names of such species as are found only in fresh 

 vi-ater. Two asterisks (**) distinguish such species as may be taken in either fresh or salt water. 



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