220 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



"grass" then— are becoming solidified by a dense growth which 

 will not be permanent. Over these flats, up till the seventies, 

 Grey Mullet still largely fed in shoals, but in lessening numbers ; 

 they swarmed there in the earlier half of last century. Among 

 the vegetation they found plenty of Crustacea and Mollusca, and 

 varied their provender by partaking freely of the Ulva lactuca. 

 Up till the same period Flounders were abundant, nets for these, 

 as well as the Grey Mullet, being specially constructed and 

 worked. Mullet were a payable catch, and Flounders were 

 saleable as bait for Cromer fishermen. No one fishes especially 

 for them to-day. The sewage pollution, which did not obtain 

 until latter years, is undoubtedly detrimental in its effects ; the 

 sewage that runs freely into the rivers on the ebb-tide is not 

 altogether got rid of ere the tide turns, and much of it goes 

 upstream again. 



For these reasons — pollution and the hardening of the flats — 

 Eels have also become scarcer. Probably instinct has taught 

 these various species to keep off the flats where they would be 

 left stranded. The dainty Smelt, however, still persists in facing 

 the altered waters, and, notwithstanding a reported scarcity in 

 the Wash, local smelters complain more loudly on account of 

 successive days of bad weather, which prevents them netting, 

 than about a shortage of fish. These keep much to the three 

 principal " drains " that are constantly widening and deepening, 

 and also to the Channel. The numbers taken occasionally are 

 astonishing, whilst good hauls are taken by the draw-netters in 

 the Ham at Gorleston, and up the Bure. 



I am of opinion that a much stronger current runs along 

 the Yarmouth seaboard than when I first knew it, owing no 

 doubt to the licking away of the sandhills farther north ; these 

 undoubtedly fended off the current. Much less seaweed and 

 sea debris come ashore north of Yarmouth, and fish no doubt 

 resort more to bay-like curvatures, as at the Ham, and again in 

 the neighbourhood of Lowestoft, where great catches of Cods 

 and Whitings are at times notorious ; these come close inshore. 

 That many fish " miss " our harbour that might otherwise 

 ascend I have no doubt, since the lengthening of the North 

 Pier and the deepening of the harbour-mouth automatically, as 

 it were, combined with a stronger ebb-tide, all tend to keep 

 them out and drive them southward. 



