DEAL-FISH ON THE NORFOLK COAST. ~ 
has ever been my fortune to come across. I have seen extended 
lines crossing our marshes and covering half a mile from flank to 
flank; but these were massed together, covering a very con- 
siderable space near the centre of a twenty-six acre field, very 
rough, and recently steam-dragged. I fear I should be accused 
of exaggeration were I to attempt to compute their number. 
I know when they arose I could not see daylight through them. 
They broke up into three large divisions, one of which gave me 
a raking shot at their right wing as they swept past at a 
distance of sixty to seventy yards—unfortunately too scattered 
to do much execution, and I had only No. 7 in my cartridges. 
I thought seven fell, but only picked up five, the ground being 
much broken and the light deficient. These five birds were like 
lumps of butter, weighing a trifle under forty ounces, or nearly 
eight ounces each, but one of the five was much lighter than the 
rest and spoilt the weight. Previous to this I had hardly seen a 
Golden Plover during the autumn. The next morning (Dec. 8rd) 
I got fourteen, probably forming a portion of the great migratory 
flock seen on the previous evening. The stomachs of several 
examined did not contain a particle of food, only small stones, 
fragments of quartz and felspar. 
ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE DEAL-FISH ON 
THE NORFOLK COAST. 
By Tuomas SouTHWwELL. 
On the 8th October a Deal-fish, or Vaagmeer (T’rachypterus 
arcticus?), was taken by some fishermen in a draught-net in 
Holkham Bay. After being shown in the neighbourhood for two 
days it was purchased by Mr. A. J. Napier, of Holkham, and sent 
to Mr. Cole, of Norwich, to be preserved, to whom I am indebted 
for the opportunity of examining it. When received by Mr. Cole 
it was in a very dilapidated condition, and having been so long 
out of the water required immediate attention. Consequently 
I did not see the fish in the flesh; I therefore quote from a 
description of it kindly given me by Mr. Hugh Robert Rump, of 
Wells, by whom it was seen very shortly after its capture. 
Mr. Rump says, in answer to my inquiries:—“‘ The fish in 
question was brought for my inspection and identification by the 
