The Zoologist — December, 186G. 507 



the lateral bands, 1 might say, almost always pretty distinct: his plate 

 is bad, the head and body being too lumpy ; neither does he trace the 

 lateral bands, which I invariably find in life, and sometimes very 

 marked. The four black or dark webs to the first four and a half 

 spines of the dorsal fin and the black spot at the tail at all times indi- 

 cate Jago's goldsinny. Its Dublin names are " pink brame," " two- 

 spot brame" and "poisoned brame." The poor little goldsinny, 

 luckily for itself, is cursed by the fishermen, and you will often hear 

 the saying, " When you catch a poison brame, up lines and go home," 

 meaning that the take is over for that tide, thus showing how timid and 

 how slow of taking a bait it is. 



Ponting, or IVhiting, or Bib Pont (Gadus luscus). — Critically men- 

 tioned by Thompson, and said to be of "occasional occurrence;" is 

 one of the commonest fish on this coast. In Kingstown Harbour its 

 fry are often caught on a hook and line in scores. It is most com- 

 monly caught from three to four inches long, though I have seen and 

 taken it four pounds weight; it then approaches closely, in figure, the 

 sea-bream {Pegallus centrodontus). It takes best on a sunny after- 

 noon at low water, when other fish refuse to bite, and refuses no bait. 

 Yarrell says, " The bib or pont, though not abundant, is yet a well- 

 known species, which is found on many parts of our coasts, particularly 

 those that are rocky." 



Threebearded Rockling (Motella vulgaris). — Thompson says, "Is 

 found sparingly round the coast." On the coast of Dublin Bay this 

 Motella is most abundant, and is caught chiefly on the conger-lines, 

 taking a herring bait. When thus caught it is eagerly devoured by 

 the conger. The largest congers I have ever taken were on these fish. 

 It is not uncommon to get from ten to twenty on a line of three 

 hundred hooks day after day. They take a bait with dreadful voracity. 

 Their colours vary greatly from brown to brick-red. Yarrell's plate is 

 magnificent. Its Irish name is "ronst dwrone." Among our Dalkey 

 names is " slippery Jemmy," from the unctuous feel of the fish. The 

 flesh is said to be delicate, but is not sold. 



Salmon (Salmo salar). — Of course this fish is well distributed on 

 this our east coast of Ireland. There is a small fishery on the Liffey. 

 Among sportsmen and naturalists there is great uncertainty on what 

 the salmon feeds. Whilst in the sea there is no doubt that it lives on 

 small fish for one thing; this 1 have seen proved on many occasions, 

 the last not one week ago (beginning of August), a gentleman catching 

 one on a herring fry whilst reeling for mackerel. I have seen and 



