252 INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY. 



Salmonidce. The Salmon is the acknowledged head of a 

 well-known family of fishes. Among them is one that by 

 common observers is referred to a different race, and is not 

 unfrequently called the "Freshwater Herring. " We refer to 

 the Pollan (Fig. 105), an Irish species found in Lough Derg, 



Fig. 205. POLLAN. 



Lough Erne, and Lough Neagh, and first described by Mr. 

 W. Thompson, as distinct from other species of the same genus 

 in Lochmaben, and in the Cumberland lakes.* It approaches 

 the coasts in large shoals, not only during spring and summer, 

 but when the autumn is far advanced. In September, 1834, 

 the greatest " take" of Pollan ever recollected at Lough Neagh 

 took place, where the Six-mile-water enters the lake. " At 

 either three or four draughts of the net, 140 hundreds, 123 

 fish to the hundredf or 17,220 fish, were taken. More were 

 taken at one draught than the boat could with safety hold, and 

 they had, consequently, to be emptied on the neighbouring pier. 

 They altogether filled five one-horse carts, and were sold on 

 the spot at the rate of 35. 4d. a hundred, producing 23 65. 8d. 

 They are brought in quantities to Belfast, and when the 

 supply is good, the cry of 'fresh pollan' prevails even to a 

 greater extent than that of ' fresh herring, ' though both fishes 

 are in season at the same period of the year. ' ' 



In the nets with the Pollan are taken the Common Trout 

 (Salmofario) and the Great Lake Trout (Salmoferox). There 



*The local name is Pollan, which has been retained in the scientific 

 appellation, Corregonus Pollan. The information given respecting the 

 fish is entirely derived from Mr. Thompson's researches, as republished 

 in YarrelPs Fishes, 2d edition, vol. ii., p. 156. The figure is copied from 

 that originally published in Annals of Natural History, vol. ii. 



f The English long hundred is six score, or one hundred and twenty. 



