38 Bolam: The Natural History of Hornsea Mere. 
a partial sanctuary for them, though, through the growing up of 
the channel which separates it from the mainland, it is liable to 
be visited by foxes, and other enemies, in dry seasons. As 
a matter of fact it was constantly so raided this year, prior to 
the rains setting in, and my removal of the planks which then 
spanned the channel. 
There are no other islands, and there can be no doubt of the 
beneficial effect it would have on the number of wild-fowl breed- 
ing here if the Lady Island were made an island in good fact 
by the widening and deepening of the channel. Nor would it 
be a very great undertaking to construct other artificial 
islands as breeding places in several of the shallower portions 
of the Mere. In addition to their usefulness for wild-fowl, 
there can be little doubt that the presence of more islands 
would soon add greatly to the picturesqueness of the Mere, 
and possibly to its value in other respects. 
A breeding sanctuary or two for birds, in some of the larger 
reed-beds, might also be made fox-proof by means of wire netting 
at comparatively little cost, and could probably have nothing 
but beneficial effects in every direction. A good slice of the 
Low Wood Morass, so enclosed, ought quickly to become a 
paradise for birds ; while its enclosure, instead of having any 
ill effect upon the place asa fox-covert, could easily be so 
arranged as to actually improve it in that direction, in that it 
might be much more possible to get a fox away from the wood 
on days when he was less inclined than usual to be moved. 
The Mere is plentifully stocked with Pike, Perch, Roach, 
and Eels, all of which grow to large size, and the excellence of 
the fishing is well known and appreciated. Should it ever be 
desired to increase its value, the introduction of Trout—at 
present there are none—would, in my opinion, be a good. 
paying investment. There are also Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus 
aculeatus) in the Mere, some of those I saw in April and May 
being quite black both above and beneath. Similar black 
sticklebacks inhabit most of the adjoining watering places, in 
the fields, and the ditches, where they keep company with 
plenty of both Common and Great-crested Newis, the latter 
being, apparently, the most abundant species. 
The largest Pike Taylor has seen killed during his thirty- 
two years’ residence, he caught himself some years ago, and 
it weighed twenty-five pounds. In his record season he killed 
1,800 pike, that too being some years ago. The largest single 
day’s bag made in his time was on 4th March, 1884, when 
Mr. Higgins, Vicar of Foston, and his curate, spinning with 
roach, killed thirty-six pike, weighing twenty-eight stone, of 
fourteen pounds to the stone, all big fish, the small ones being 
returned and neither counted nor weighed. The record Pike 
for the Mere, during the last thirty years, was caught at Hornsea- 
Naturalist, 
