TAKEN OFF THE COAST OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 289 
lor and his two sons, the crew of a fishing coble belonging to 
Cullercoats. It was found at about six miles from shore, and in 
from twenty to thirty fathoms water. The men having started 
from their fishing ground to return homewards, observed at a 
little distance what appeared to be broken water ; the old man 
being struck with such a novelty directed his lads to pull 
towards it ; on nearing the spot they perceived a large fish lying 
on its side on the top of the water. The fish as they approached 
it righted itself, and came with a gentle lateral undulating mo- 
tion towards them, showing its crest and a small portion of the 
head occasionally above water ; when it came alongside, one of 
them struck it with his picket—a hook attached to the end of a 
small stick, and used in landing their fish ; on this it made off 
with a vigorous and vertical undulating motion, and disappeared, 
Taylor says, as quick as lightning under the surface. In ashort 
time it re-appeared at a little distance, and pulling up to it they 
found it again lying on its side ; they plied the picket a second 
time, and struck it a little behind the head ; the picket again 
tore through the tender flesh by a violent effort of the fish, 
which escaped once more, but with diminished vigour ; on the 
boat coming a third time alongside, the two young men putting 
their arms round the fish, lifted it into the boat. Signs of life 
remained for some time after the fish was captured, but no doubt 
it was in a dying or very sickly state when first discovered by 
the Taylors. 
It was exhibited the same day at Tynemouth, North and 
South Shields, and brought to Newcastle next morning. In the 
afternoon we first saw it; we found it much injured by the 
strokes of the hook and by rough handling during its removals 
and the examinations it had undergone. The fins were a good 
deal torn, but the fish was evidently quite fresh. 
Its colour was a uniform silvery gray all over, resembling 
bright tin-foil or white Dutch metal, except afew irregular dark 
spots and streaks towards the anterior part of the body. On 
closer inspection the remains of a bright iridescence was seen 
about the pectoral fin and head, the blue tint predominating. 
External description.—The fish presents somewhat the form 
VoL. I. Qq 
