SOME FISH NOTES 303 



they have kept down the increase of crabs and lobsters, to 

 whom they are natural and deadly enemies. It is, of course, 

 possible that my conger knew something of this (he looked a 

 knowing old bird), and was trying what retaliation would 

 effect. 



" This is a question for our lords and masters of the Upper 

 House, whose opinion and verdict we look for. . . . 



"G. C." 



" Walton, A. R. M., jun.," wrote : 



" SIRS, One day my father and I were returning from a 

 little fishing excursion at Cromford, near Matlock Bath, in 

 Derbyshire. On reaching the well-known fish-pond by the 

 roadside, I threw into it a large dandelion which I had 

 gathered in the Cromford meadows, and in a second a big 

 chub came up and swallowed it, and several other chub did 

 the same thing with other dandelions. It may be interesting 

 to state that on the side of this pond there were .several 

 automatic machines from which, if you inserted a penny 

 in the slot, you would receive some cheese to throw to the 

 chub." 



One " fact " in particular I tried to ascertain during the 

 correspondence, but there was no response had any one ever 

 detected the codfish devouring its own species ? Whitings 

 I know have no scruples in the matter of devouring any 

 relative they can swallow ; but in my experience I never 

 found a small codling in the stomach of a larger one. Many 

 a fine cod too have I seen " dissected " ; and among the many 

 queer things found were huge masses of whelk's egg-cases ; 

 but these had never been engulfed by the cod itself, but had 

 been crammed into its maw by wily fishermen, in order to 

 give that plump appearance so desirable in freshly-caught 

 cods. 



A friend of mine once took from a cod's stomach a fisher- 

 man's pocket-knife ; and from the maw of another a good- 

 sized turnip. 



LESSER FORKBEARD AND MONTAGU'S SUCKER 



The study of our British fishes will, I fear, never be really 

 popular except with those who do business in the deep. It 

 may be that the uncertainty of meeting with the fishes, and 

 the difficulty of watching their habits, as may ornithologists in 

 the case of bird-life, tend to damp enthusiasm, although I 



