AND ANGLING SONGS. 339 



stout boys could manage her with ease, so far as rowing went, 

 and it was more convenient, as well as safer, in lythe-fishing 

 close to the rocks, to make use of the oars. Had the presence 

 of mackerel in the Firth been ascertained, it would have invited 

 to a more open range of water, and called the latter into re- 

 quisition. Our afternoon fishing parties occasionally brought 

 three rods into play, but we found two a more convenient num- 

 ber, especially under sail, when it was necessary to tack about 

 every five minutes and haul in line. The lythes, which were far 

 from numerous, were fallen in with on marked ground, off 

 the headlands, rarely among the coves or small bays. In the 

 latter, however, we found the black pollack, rock-cod, and gur- 

 nards, the last-mentioned fish in great, almost troublesome 

 abundance. We also secured some fair specimens, ranging from 

 four up to six pounds, of the keeling or common cod-fish. To 

 take cod with the lythe-fly or white feather, it is necessary to 

 keep the hook well sunk, and slacken the pace of the boat. A 

 lug-worm run up over the wire will be found to act as a strong 

 incentive, and insure, in case the fish should miss its aim, a re- 

 newal of the attack. The gurnards taken were mostly of the 

 grey species (Trigla gumardus], but off Elieness, while cruising 

 for mackerel about a couple of miles from the shore, I hit upon 

 some fine specimens of the rocket or red gurnard (Trigla 

 cuculus). 



What draws the attention of the captor on his first acquaintance 

 with the gurnard, is the singular faculty this fish appears to pos 

 sess, of emitting sounds when expiring. These, which proceed 

 from the escape of the air or gases in its singularly formed swim- 

 ming-bladders, have been compared to the note of the cuckoo, 

 hence the term cuculus applied to one of the species ; but they 

 are better described in the general designation gurnard, the ven- 

 triloquial sounds emitted more resembling repetitions of the 

 monosyllable gurr. In many parts of Scotland this fish is called 



