156 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



appear. At this period they are from 6 to 10 inches in 

 length, and much esteemed as sillucks ; about March they 

 retire to the deep and grow rapidly, so that by May they 

 are 15 inches long and termed kuths y which are tolerable 

 for eating either fresh or roasted with the liver, or even dry. 

 A few are taken in the second year, when they are called 

 two-year-old kuths or harbines, and are now very coarse and 

 not sought after. Subsequently they attain to a vast bulk, 

 and are then termed setks, but are rare (Low). Dr. Drum- 

 mond gives an account of once finding his boat in the midst 

 of a shoal of these fishes when at play. The whole sea was 

 alive, while they were disporting themselves in all attitudes. 

 They were regardless of the boat, and so intent on their 

 gambols that numbers were captured with an instrument 

 like a boat-hook. Mr. Dunn has remarked the same 

 phenomenon, but he ascertained that it was due to their 

 chasing small fishes. During the smooth season of the year 

 the coal-fish approaches the shore and moves quietly about, 

 but when it descries any prey it pounces on its victim with 

 great violence. Thompson mentions finding principally 

 small crustaceans, as Idotea, &c., in the stomachs of these 

 fish ; Dr. Drummond usually observed that they were 

 gorged with Onisci, and very fond of Entomostraca. Mr. 

 Ffennell saw twenty-six salmon fry taken from the stomach 

 of one of these fishes. 



Means of capture. Angling, which is often done from 

 shore, and line-fishing, the lug-worm being found a good 

 bait. They are very voracious, and have great strength. 

 In Belfast Bay a few large examples are occasionally taken 

 in the mullet nets during the spring of the year. 



Breeding. A coal-fish 39^ inches long had 4,029,200 eggs, 

 and one 7 inches shorter 2,569,753, and they seem to spawn 

 while swimming about, when their eggs, being buoyant, are 



