336 CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 



Sub-Class. CYCLOSTOMATA. 



Species. 

 Fam. Petromyzontidce, Lampreys 3 



Myxinidce, Hag-fishes 1 



Sub-Class. LEPTOCARDII. 



Fam. Branchiostomidce, Lancelets 1? 



Total 142 



In former years the use of the trawl-net was quite unknown 

 on the East Coast of the Northern part of the British Islands, 

 and only line fishing was practised, and those fishes chiefly were 

 captured and brought on shore which were of marketable value ; 

 but since the introduction of trawls, and their increased use, 

 many rare fishes and other creatures which were before accounted 

 rare, and many which were unknown as inhabitants of the North 

 Sea are now found to be some of them abundant, with others 

 which are quite new to this part of the British Coast. 



In mentioning the use of the trawl-net it is by no means cer- 

 tain that it will be a permanent benefit to the East Coast fisher- 

 men, especially to those who are and have been long located in 

 the different villages along the coast. In some cases already 

 the injury done to the ground frequented by the coast fishermen 

 has been much complained of, and the great destruction caused 

 to the best feeding grounds or fishing banks by this cumbersome 

 and destructive implement, and the multitudes of small immature 

 fishes captured in its capacious net, the destruction of ova, etc., 

 are injuries done to the regular fishing grounds that are not 

 easily restored or renovated ; and the shoals of fishes are driven 

 to seek other feeding grounds further off and in less accessible 

 localities. Excepting the flat fishes the fishes caught in the 

 trawl are of much less marketable value than those caught by 

 hook and line. This is proved by the prices given in the re- 

 ports of the fish-markots ; and the question of trawl-fishing 

 regulations is a matter that most concerns fishermen themselves. 



It was stated above that no one has attempted a systematic 

 Catalogue of our local Eishes, or, indeed, to form a special Col- 

 lection of them. This remark applies more particularly to the 



