SOME ODD NOTES ON YARMOUTH FISHES. 226 



into the harbour during the Herring-fishing, and are caught in 

 hoop-nets baited with broken Herrings, Numerous Eels are 

 taken at the same time in the same fashion. 



Several pairs of fine Soles are frequently taken in a day by 

 those shrimpers who use small trawls in addition to their 

 dredge-nets. I believe that large spawning Soles come nume- 

 rously inshore near Palling in April ; that process is soon over, 

 and the spent fish at once betake themselves to deeper waters. 

 I know one shrimper who appears to know where to drop across 

 Soles, and who frequently in the summer displays several pairs 

 in his little shop -window. 



In my earlier rambling days it was not a rare thing to find 

 variously sized Congers helplessly cast ashore during severe 

 easterly frosts. I have seen old men carrying a sack for any 

 such that they might find. The reason for their inshoring was 

 due to their getting into shoal waters, and being nipped by 

 frost, when their bladders, distending, placed them helplessly at 

 the mercy of the breakers. It is a very rare circumstance 

 nowadays to meet with the species off Yarmouth. 



The various Sharks that get entangled in the nets when 

 pursuing the Herring are now seldom brought ashore, there 

 being no sale at all for them. At one time a few shillings might 

 be made of them for some purpose or another. The Porbeagle, 

 larg6 Topes, and Nursehounds, at one time, were not in- 

 frequently landed ; to-day they would only be thrown upon the 

 refuse-heap, and, being useless, would be an inconvenience in 

 these days of feverish bustle and haste. Piked or Common 

 Dogs are washed ashore with dead Herrings when an easterly 

 wind obtains. Spotted Dog-fishes would seem to have greatly 

 decreased since the Pagets' time, when they were stated to be 

 our commonest species. 



The Lamprey and the Eiver Lampern are in no request 

 locally, and, although not rarely taken in the rivers, are seldom 

 eaten. The Lampern, or Silver Lamprey, is by far the com- 

 moner species, and ascends our rivers for purposes of spawning. 

 Mr. W. S. Everett assured me last year that " some thirty years 

 ago a man named Bessey took from his eel-set in the Waveney, 

 after one night's fishing, no less than 5 cwt. of Lampreys. He 

 despatched them in boxes to London." 



