NOTES AND QUERIES. 271 



in a constant catch of Haddock. Thirty-five years ago Haddock was an 

 unknown fish off St. Ives, in the Bristol Channel, and then it was plentiful 

 in and off Mount's Bay. We never had an afternoon's inshore hook-and- 

 line fishing without taking some Haddock. The last catch I made was of 

 seven good fish on a " spiller," in 1858. Since then we have never seen a 

 Haddock on this coast, and St. Ives Bay has not been tried for them. 

 I feel sure none have been seen there, because I have always had friends 

 amongst the fishermen of St. Ives on the look-out for them for me. From 

 some unaccountable cause, the fish seems to have shifted its habitat. — 

 Thomas Cornish (Penzance). 



Sparus auratus at Penzance.— On June 11th I received a fine 

 specimen of that rare fish the Gilt-head (Sparus auratus, Cuv., Chrysophrys 

 aurata, Yarrell), which had been caught on a hook and line in the Bay here, 

 in about fourteen fathoms water (the usual fishing-ground). The only 

 example that I had previously seen was caught here in March, 1870. The 

 present specimen is not very brilliant in colour, but its identification was 

 easy. It measured over all, 19£ in. ; eye to fork, 14 in. ; depth at origin of 

 dorsal, 5£ in. Weight three pounds ten ounces. I had it cooked, and 

 found its flesh white, firm, and of excellent flavour, but a little " woolly." 

 I attribute this latter quality to the fact (which I infer from the colours of 

 the fish) that it was not in its best condition for the table. — Thomas 

 Cornish (Penzance). 



Spanish Mackarel off Penzance. — On June 20th I caught in the 

 Bay a Spanish Mackarel, Scomber colias, a fish which is undoubtedly rare 

 here. In fact, I had long since set it down as probably a variety of the 

 Common Mackarel, but about this example there was no mistake. Its 

 dentition, eyes, scales under the origin of the pectorals, first dorsal in a 

 groove, colouring, and its peculiar shape, all mark it as distinct from the 

 Common Mackarel. It is a much stouter fish than the common species, 

 and immediately behind the first dorsal the back makes a downward curve, 

 giving the fish the appearance of being hump-backed. It then carries its 

 thickness evenly to behind the second dorsal, whence it tapers to the origin 

 of the caudal. Its measurements were : — Over all, 12£ in. ; depth at 

 origin of first dorsal, 2g-in.; depth about midway between the dorsals 

 immediately behind the depression, If in. ; depth just behind second dorsal, 

 lli in. Weight eight ounces. The line of oblong dark spots under, and 

 parallel to, the lateral was very conspicuous. — T. Cornish (Penzance,. 



[Couch, writing of the Spanish Mackarel, says (' Fishes of the British 

 Islands,' vol. ii. p. 79): — "In the memory of many persons it has been not 

 unfrequently caught in nets in Cornwall, where alone hitherto it has been 

 found with us, and sometimes to the number of 300 or 400 at a time, in the 

 summer or autumn; but for several years it has become much more rare." 



