Holt — Survey of Fishing Grounds, West Coast of Ireland. 449 



63 fathoms. A specimen of 5| inches was in the stomach of a Pollack at 36 to 39 

 fathoms off Gregory Sound. 



It thus appears that this fish is moderately abundant in deep and fairly deep waters 

 on this coast, as seems to be also the case on the West coast of Scotland, where Dr. 

 Murray got a number at 32 to 37 fathoms. Giinther remarks that some of the latter 

 had not yet spawned in February. 



ANCHOVY — Engraiilis enerasicholus. 

 At Killybegs in May, 1891, we were told that a good many of these fish had been 

 recently taken. Our informant was a local pilot, who appeared to know the fish. 



SPBAT — Clupea sprattus. 

 Sprats, of various sizes, were constantly found in the stomachs of larger fish. They 

 appear to be everywhere very plentiful, especially at the mouths of bays. 



HERBiING — Olupea harengus. 



Small Herring and a few large ones were found in the stomachs of fish on various 

 occasions. Our captures in the nets were limited to small scaleless examples. 



The most interesting thing that we learnt about this fish was that it is in the habit 

 of ascending a narrow arm of the sea, about 9 miles long, and very sinuous, which 

 runs out of Achill Sound, near the Bull's Mouth, nearly severing a considerable piece 

 from the mainland, and terminates in an expansion known as Bellacragher Bay. The 

 bay is 19 fathoms deep, and the bottom consists of extremely soft black mud. It 

 appears that the Herring run up here every autumn, and yield a profitable fishery. 



SHORT SUN-FISH — Orthogoriscus mola. 

 The Sun-fish observed were about 4 in number. One was captured near Achill 

 Island, and the others were seen at the surface, between Inishkeagh and Clew Bay, 

 all in June. 



KING OF THE HEKIIING-S — Chimcera monstrosa. 

 Five were caught at depths of 144, 175, and 220 fathoms. One was a mature 

 male, 33 inches in length (a part of the whip-like prolongation of the tail-fin had been 

 broken ofl'). Two females, about 30 inches, were immature, as were also two males, 

 somewhat smaller. The "Knight Errant," and "Triton" obtained specimens at 

 505 to 555 fathoms, including some very young forms. Vaillant records others, some 

 very small, between 433 and 670 fathoms off the north-west coast of Africa. Mr. Green 

 got an egg case at 315 fathoms in the "Flying Fox." Thus it appears, as might 

 be expected, from the structure of the fish, that all stages are passed in deep water. 

 Little is known of the habits of this fish. It has been said to follow and prey on the 

 shoals of Herrings, but this seems very unlikely. 



BASKING- SHARK — Selache maxima. 

 On the 15th April a Basking Shark was seen off Foul Sound, Aran. About the 

 28th April several were observed, and one (a female about 22 feet) harpooned, by the 

 Shark Islanders. The shoal then appears to have moved northwards, as we heard of a 



SCIEN. PROC. K.D.S., VOL. VII., PART IV. 2 N 



