Ogilby — On some Irish Fishes. 521 



our taste educated, as I always find whitings selling well, which 

 occasions a regular fishery for them from October to January on 

 parts of the Derry coast. After having been scarce for many years, 

 they became abundant, along with the haddocks, in 1877. 



Gadiis poutassou. — In the Duhlin Nat. Hist. Soc. Proceedings, 

 1865, vol. iv., p. 9, Mr. William Andrews records this fish, under 

 the name of Merlangus alhus, as having been noticed by him in the 

 Claddagh market at Galway. But this specimen unfortunately 

 was not preserved, and thus the identification remains doubtful. 



Gadus 'poUachius. — The young, up to 6 inches long, are called 

 "rackies" at Portrush. Young eels about 4 inches long, which 

 have been steeped for some time in brine, form an excellent 

 bait for whiffing, while boiled limpets and crabs are excellent for 

 bottom fishing. My largest examples weighed — (1) 15 lbs., 

 caught by whiffing, August, 1877 ; (2) 17^ lbs., caught on a cod 

 line, March, 1878 ; (3) 21^ lbs., caught as preceding, April, 1878, 

 in about thirty fathoms water. 



Merluccius vulgaris. — So rare on the coast about Portrush, that 

 I have never seen an example, and have heard of only one, which 

 occurred many years ago. 



Phycis hlennioides. — The earliest authentic Irish record of this 

 fish is Templeton's, who obtained it among haddock (in Belfast 

 market ?) on the 24th January, 1812. There is also an example 

 in the Dublin Museum of Science and Art from the Ordnance 

 Collection, but no locality or date is mentioned, though doubt- 

 less it came from the north of Ireland. 



Molva vulgaris. — On the Derry and neighbouring coasts, ling 

 and cod are sought for together, the fishery for conger being car- 

 ried on in a different manner. The boutlers are here baited 

 alternately with a slice of fresh fish and a whelk, the former being 

 considered better for ling, the latter for cod. Young ling are 

 caught frequently on the " merrin-lines " during summer and 

 autumn at Portrush, generally about one foot long; and, as 

 Thompson mentions and describes a young fish of about that 

 length taken in January, it would appear that there must be 

 a considerable variation in the date of their spawning at different 

 localities. The season continues from December to April with us. 

 In May they are little fished for, and are for the most part 

 spent. 



