FISHES 



very often in the shrimp nets, and it may also be 

 found in the shore pools. 



7. Long-spined Cottus or Bull-head. Cottus 



bubalis, Euphr. 



This species is not so common as Cottus scor- 

 pius t but it occurs frequently. 



8. Yellow 'Gurnet 'or Gurnard. Trig/a lucerna, 



Linn. 

 (Day, Trig/a hirundo.) 



15. Mackerel. Scomber scombrus, Linn. 



Mackerel are usually abundant in north 

 Lancashire waters in June, July, or August, the 

 season varying somewhat. They are caught 

 with lines, and at Formby and at other places in 

 stake nets. It is said that with westerly winds 

 and seas they leave the coast. The season is 

 always later off Walney Island than further south. 

 Last year (1904) mackerel were more abundant 

 than for twenty years previously. My colleague, 

 Mr. A. Scott, has noted a relation between the 



Taken commonly in the trawl nets all along ablmdance of ' mackere i in the i ris h Sea and that 



the Lancashire coast. It is the least common of 

 the three species of gurnards found in our 

 waters. 



Noctiluca 



of the flagellate 

 1 6. Horse Mackerel. Caranx trachurus (Linn.) 

 This is not at all a common fish off the 

 Lancashire coast, but it has been taken by the 

 Fisheries steamer John Fell between there and 



9. Red Gurnet. Trig/a pini, Bloch. 



Day, T. cuculus. 



This gurnard is fairly abundant, and is some- t j le j g j e Q f M an- 

 times taken in fair quantity out at sea. 



17. John Dory. Zeusfaber, Linn. 



Of occasional occurrence but never abundant. 

 When caught it is usually small, about 5 inches, 

 but occasionally it has been taken about twice 



10. Grey Gurnard. Trigla gurnardus, Linn. 



This is the commonest of the gurnards in 

 Lancashire waters. 



II. Pogge, or 'Toad-fish.' Agonus cataphractus 



(Linn.) 

 Also called the Armed Bull-head ; a very 



that length. 



1 8. Shade Fish. Sciana aquila (Lace>.) 



Mr. J. T. Moore recorded a specimen in the 



Httle fish fn s^low waTer 'near th'e f * b <? S f ^Liverpool Public Museum as 

 having been caught in the Mersey estuary in 

 October, 1870. 



19. Two-spotted Goby. Gobius flavescens (Fabr.) 



Day (G. rutbensparri.} 



There is a specimen of this fish in the Fisheries 

 Museum at the University of Liverpool, but I 

 am uncertain as to its precise locality. 



20. Black Goby. Gobius niger, Linn. 

 Common in many shore pools. 



mouths of the estuaries. 



12. Angler or Devil-fish. Lopbius piscatorius 



(Linn.) 



This is a common fish, and is frequently taken 

 in the trawl nets. Sometimes it is exceptionally 

 large (6 feet), but in Lancashire waters it seldom 

 exceeds 2 feet in length. Every adult specimen 

 I have dissected has had the sporozoan Glugea 

 lophii parasitic on the brain and cranial nerves. 



Formerly a valueless. fish, the Angler now comes 2I> Spotted Goby. Gobius minutus, Gmel. 



into the market in the form of ' cod steaks,' a 

 portion of the trunk being utilized by the fisher- 

 men for this purpose. 



13. The Weever or ' Stinger.' Trachinus vipera, 



Cuv. and Val. 



A very common little fish on the shallow 

 water fishing grounds all along the Lancashire 

 coast. It has poison organs in connexion with 

 the spine of the first dorsal fin and with the 

 opercular spines. Shrimp fishermen have a very 

 wholesome dread of this fish, and never attempt 

 to sort out a catch of the shrimp trawl when 

 they see it except with a piece of stick or a 

 marlinespike. The wounds made by the poison 

 spines are, though not dangerous, exceedingly 

 painful. 



14. Larger Weever. Trachinus draco. Linn. 



Very uncommon. I have only known one Liverpool N. W. light vessel were identified by 

 specimen to be taken off the Lancashire coast. 

 It was sent to me by a shrimper who caught it 

 off the Mersey estuary. 



Very common in Lancashire shallow waters. 



22. Speckled Goby. Gobius parnelli. 



Day's G. Parnelli is only the estuarine 

 ' race ' of G. minutus. 1 



23. Transparent Goby or Nonnat. Aphia pellu- 



cida (Nard.) 



I have seen great numbers of this little fish 

 near Roa Island in the Barrow Channel. 



24. Dragonet. Callionymus lyra, Linn. 



The Gemmous dragonet, ' skulpin,' or ' bishop.' 

 Very common everywhere in shallow water. 



25. The Spoiled Dragonet. Callionymus macula- 



tus, Bon. 



Very rare in the Irish Sea, though no doubt it 

 is often confused with C. lyra. Some specimens 

 taken by Mr. J. A. Clubb in 1902 off the 



181 



1 Holt and Byrne. Rep. Board of Agriculture and 

 Technical Instruction, Ireland. Fisheries. Pt. 2. Scien- 

 tific investigations, 1902. 



