172 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



it is resident and abundant ; common in the Norfolk 

 estuary, but not of large size ; while along the south coast 

 it is much more common in Cornwall than off Devon, 

 becoming abundant off Scilly. It is found nearly all round 

 the Irish coast. 



Thompson records one of 59 Ibs. weight from Ireland ; 

 Reed of an example 6 feet long, and weighing about 60 Ibs. 

 taken at Wick in March, 1872 ; Parnell heard of one 

 which measured 7 feet in length, and Couch also was told 

 of a Scilly example of 124 Ibs. weight. 



FAMILY II. OPHIDIID^E, Mailer. 

 GENUS I. Ammodytes, Artedi. 



The term Ammodytes refers to its power of digging in 

 the sand. 



Geographical distribution. Littoral and gregarious forms, 

 mostly of a small size, which frequent the sandy shores of 

 Europe and North America, as far south as Cape Hatteras, 

 while the late Dr. Jerdon discovered a species off Madras. 



Of the three British species only a solitary example of 

 A . siculus is said to have been dredged off the Shetland 

 Isles, and is now in the British Museum, whereas A. lanceo- 

 latus and A. tobianus are common in suitable localities ; 

 but, being very similar in appearance, it often becomes 

 difficult to decide to which of the two forms authors are 

 alluding. I therefore propose bringing together in this 

 place published accounts of the habits of the sand-eel or 

 sand-launce generally. In May, 1870, Sars, when investi- 

 gating the cod-fisheries off the coast of Norway, had his 

 attention directed to the large number of schools of sand- 

 eels, which during the winter months appear to reside in 

 deep waters, as during those months they are occasionally 



