332 WILD LIFE ON A NORFOLK ESTUARY 



Naturally enough I joined in the debate, suggesting that 

 there, was little chance of killing the dog-fish off, notwith- 

 standing absurd proposals to decimate their numbers by the 

 use of dynamite, which might prove as disastrous to the 

 attacking party as to the attacked. To my mind most of 

 the species are far too much tainted by a flavour of ammonia 

 to be really palatable, although I know full well many a 

 one, beside other despised fishes, e.g. the wolf-fish and the 

 sting ray, are "worked off" in the fish-shop frying-tanks, 

 and doled out in slices to the hungry at supper-time, the 

 devourers never suspecting but that they are provided with 

 primer joints than these ! 



There are simple problems still needing solution. How is 

 it that certain animals that prey on others themselves taste 

 rank when .eaten, and others do not? For instance, the 

 whiting not only devours other fishes, but those of his own 

 offspring, yet he is a delicate morsel ; the sole devours 

 mollusca, and is himself delicious ; yet the scoter duck, 

 which preys on the self-same 'shell-fish/ is by no means palat- 

 able by reason of its fishy flavour. Codfishes, besides know- 

 ing the gastronomic virtues of the Norwegian lobster and 

 crabs, also devour herrings with almost proverbial greed. 

 The dog-fish fattens on herrings, yet he is by no means so 

 dainty eating as the codfish. In my letter I referred to some 

 amusing incidents respecting queer dishes I have sampled, 

 and treated the dog-fish subject in a rather cynical manner. 

 Other letters followed, and, as is often the case, other sub- 

 jects beside " dog-fish " came into the correspondence, which, 

 however, while it lasted, was by no means uninteresting. 

 My letter of December i/th wound up the discussion, and 

 was as follows : 



"SIRS, Whatever rascalities the dog-fishes may have 

 been guilty of, they have not altogether lived a purposeless 

 life. They have at least imparted an interesting flavour to 

 your correspondence column, which has been enjoyed on 

 both sides of the table apparently. I take it that the sub- 

 ject has been fairly thrashed out, and should not have re- 

 ferred to it again, only I tumbled across a strange item in 

 my friend E. K. Robinson's delightful little weekly, The 

 Country Side, a few days ago. It appeared in all solemnity 

 that surrounds truth, and reads as follows : 



" ' Effect of the war on sharks. A curious effect of the war 



