GREAT BRITAIN. 143 



coloured example in Dublin, and another small specimen of 

 a light rose red. In the month of February, at Belfast, 

 Thompson's attention was called to a large haddock in fine 

 condition, which was clouded over the sides with an ex- 

 tremely pale stone colour, apparently as if the skin had 

 been taken off; but this was the natural colour, as all the 

 scales were on. 



Habits. Haddocks congregate in enormous numbers, feed 

 ear the ground, and for their size are as voracious as the 

 :od, but the two forms do not seem to be usually found 

 gether. They are abundant off our shores, especially 

 ong those of the eastern counties, the finest and greatest 

 umbers being taken during the winter months, for after 

 wning the largest retire, leaving the smaller ones behind, 

 ennant observed that off Yorkshire large schools usually 

 rive near the shores in December, and instances the coin- 

 idence that in 1766 and 1777 they came both years on the 

 loth, the shoals being nearly three miles in breadth, while 

 they extended in length from Flamborough to Tynemouth 

 Castle, and perhaps much further to the north. They will 

 frequent some rocky ground for many seasons, and from 

 some cause suddenly leave it for a new situation, perhaps 

 due to exhaustion of the food. " Fishermen assert that in 

 rough weather haddocks sink down into the sand and ooze 

 at the bottom of the sea, and shelter themselves there till 

 the storm is over ; because in stormy weather they take 

 none, and those that are taken immediately after a storm 

 are covered with mud on their backs " (Pen.). Their food 

 varies with locality. Thompson in Belfast observed they 

 mostly contained the remains of ophiurcz, especially the 

 spines of 0. rosulo, the presence of which is considered by 

 Dr. Drummond as one reason why these fishes are found so 

 ee from intestinal worms. During summer they live on 





