SOME FISH-NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH. 443 



early in November. On November 13th I received from Mr. 

 Beazor, a fish-merchant, the largest Skulpin I have ever seen ; it 

 was gilled in the drift-nets with the Herrings, a unusual ending 

 for so ground-loving a species. 



The annual Sprat-dinner took place at Aldeburgh on January 

 18th. In one of the after-dinner speeches some interesting 

 facts with regard to the Sprat fishery were given. German 

 buyers had, the previous November, bought up large quantities, 

 giving an impetus that was much appreciated, a glut previously 

 having been equally as unremunerative as a scarcity. Smoked 

 or "dried" Sprats were a disappearing feature. The figures 

 of catches given for certain years were as follow : — 1906, 

 1190 bushels ; 1907, 2988 bushels ; 1908, 8828 bushels ; 1909, 

 988 bushels ; 1910, 6620 bushels. The prices of the 1908 catches 

 ruled very low. One speaker said that, although the present 

 season had been a fair one, not a man made more than £10, 

 whereas forty years ago a man could clear as much as £30. 

 The fishermen went out to catch Sprats on days when they had 

 no business to venture out ; a foggy, misty night is preferable 

 for spratting to a fine one. 



On January 30th I received a note from Mr. Cook, of 

 Lowestoft, informing me that some catches of Cods taken on 

 long lines in that neighbourhood realized, when sold on the 

 fish-market, the following prices : — Catch of 43 fish, £1 10s. 6d. ; 

 36 fish, £1 19s. 6d. ; 49 fish, £1 Us. 6d. 



On January 30th I examined some so-called Sprats that were 

 being hawked around the town, finding them mostly " yawlers " 

 (probably derived from "yearlings "), or young Herrings a span 

 long ; only one-tenth were Sprats, a shameful netting of next 

 to useless fish. 



I obtained on January 31st a Streaked Gurnard {Trigla 

 lineata) that had in all probability been taken off Cromer Knowle. 



John-dorys were still abundant at the end of the month off 

 the north-east coast of Norfolk. They ran about the size of 

 one's hand. In one I discovered a Herring, and in another a 

 Whiting. There was no ready sale for these fishes, but I found 

 them exceedingly savoury, when, simply divested of head and 

 fins, they were placed to fry in the fry-pan. The skin then 

 peeled off easily, and the two sides came away boneless. The 



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