SOME FISH NOTES 309 



SALMON-TROUT 



During the latter part of September, 1906, the coast was 

 visited by an unusual number of salmon-trout, the 'long- 

 shore fishermen at Winterton, a favourite resort occasionally 

 of the species, bringing some excellent catches to the fish- 

 wharf. In two days as many as ten stones were brought up, 

 the larger fish realising a shilling a pound. Mr. R. Beazor, 

 fish merchant, informed me that the catches were much 

 greater than usual ; he himself purchased over 1000 Ib. 

 of trout, dispatching most of them to London. One fine 

 example weighed i6J Ib. ; several between that weight and 

 12 Ib. were amongst them. The greatest number was landed 

 on September 29th, the season closing on October 2nd. 



THE PEARLSIDES 



The finding of an example of the pearlsides (Maurolicus 

 pennantii) stranded up-river nearly four miles from the 

 harbour mouth, by my friend Mr. J. E. Knights, is worthy of 

 being recorded. An unusually high tide overflowed the 

 banks of the River Bure at several weak spots, not far from 

 the town. Near the new railway bridge, spanning the river, 

 a considerable inrush of water filled the adjoining ditches, 

 coming in like a mountain torrent. Some days after Mr. 

 Knights visited the spot, and found an example of this 

 silvery little creature lying on the bank at the edge of 

 a gully, formed by the torrent of water that had forced its 

 way through. The fish was if in. in length. I saw it with 

 its two rows of abdominal spots still vividly coloured, 

 although it was somewhat shrivelled. 



I may be wrong, but I am strongly inclined to believe that 

 this species, allied as it is to the Salmonidce, ascends rivers in 

 spring for the purpose of spawning. All the occurrences 

 I have noted 1 for this neighbourhood were between Feb- 

 ruary 24th and April 1st. Owing to its diminutive size it is 

 seldom netted, for the mesh must be fine indeed that stays 

 its progress ; although, as in the case of the first one, which 

 I discovered at the harbour mouth, it had come ashore 

 entangled in the abundant weeds clogging a net. 



1 See Nature in Eastern Norfolk^ p. 297. 



