FISHES 



very often in the shrimp nets, and it may also be 

 found in the shore pools. 



7. Long-spined Cottus or Bull-head. Coitus 



bubalisy Euphr. 

 This species is not so common as Cottus scor- 

 piuSy but it occurs frequently. 



8. Yellow ' Gurnet * or Gurnard. Trigla lucerna, 



Linn. 

 (Day, Trigla hirundo.) 

 Taken commonly in the trawl nets all along 

 the Lancashire coast. It is the least common of 

 the three species of gurnards found in our 

 waters. 



9. Red Gurnet. Trigla pini, Bloch, 



Day, T. cuculus. 

 This gurnard is fairly abundant, and is some- 

 times taken in fair quantity out at sea. 



10. Grey Gurnard. Trigla gurnardus^ Linn. 



This is the commonest of the gurnards in 

 Lancashire waters. 



1 1 . Pogge, or * ToSd-fish.' Agonus cataphractus 



(Linn.) 

 Also called the Armed Bull-head ; a very 

 common little fish in shallow water near the 

 mouths of the estuaries. 



12. Angler or Devil-fish. Lophius piscatorius 



(Liim.) 



This is a common fish, and is frequently taken 

 in the trawl nets. Sometimes it is exceptionally 

 large (6 feet), but in Lancashire waters it seldom 

 exceeds 2 feet in length. Every adult specimen 

 I have dissected has had the sporozoan Glugea 

 lophii parasitic on the brain and cranial nerves. 

 Formerly a valueless fish, the Angler now comes 

 into the market in the form of * cod steaks,' a 

 portion of the trunk being utilized by the fisher- 

 men for this purpose. 



13. The Weever or ' Stinger.' Trachinus vipera, 



Cuv. and Val. 



A very common little fish on the shallow 

 water fishing grounds all along the Lancashire 

 coast. It has poison organs in connexion with 

 the spine of the first dorsal fin and with the 

 opercular spines. Shrimp fishermen have a very 

 wholesome dread of this fish, and never attempt 

 to sort out a catch of the shrimp trawl when 

 they see it except with a piece of stick or a 

 marlinespike. The wounds made by the poison 

 spines are, though not dangerous, exceedingly 

 painful. 



14. Larger Weever. Trachinus draco, Linn. 



Very uncommon. I have only known one 

 specimen to be taken ofF the Lancashire coast. 

 It was sent to me by a shrimper who caught it 

 ofFthe Mersey estuary. 



15. Mackerel. Scomber scombrus, hinn. 

 Mackerel are usually abundant in north 



Lancashire waters in June, July, or August, the 

 season varying somewhat. They are caught 

 with lines, and at Formby and at other places in 

 stake nets. It is said that with westerly winds 

 and seas they leave the coast. The season is 

 always later ofF Walney Island than further south. 

 Last year (1904) mackerel were more abundant 

 than for twenty years previously. My colleague, 

 Mr. A. Scott, has noted a relation between the 

 abundance of mackerel in the Irish Sea and that 

 of the flagellate — Noctiluca miliaris. 



16. Horse Mackerel. Caranx trachurus (Linn.) 

 This is not at all a common fish off the 



Lancashire coast, but it has been taken by the 

 Fisheries steamer John Fell between there and 

 the Isle of Man. 



17. John Dory. Zeus faber, Linn. 



Of occasional occurrence but never abundant. 

 When caught it is usually small, about 5 inches, 

 but occasionally it has been taken about twice 

 that length. 



18. Shade Fish. Sciana aquila (Lac^p.) 



Mr. J. T. Moore recorded a specimen in the 

 stock books of the Liverpool Public Museum as 

 having been caught in the Mersey estuary in 

 October, 1870. 



19. Two-spotted Goby. Gobiusflavescens {^zhr.) 



Day (G. ruthensparri.) 

 There is a specimen of this fish in the Fisheries 

 Museum at the University of Liverpool, but I 

 am uncertain as to its precise locality. 



20. Black Goby. Gobius niger, Linn. 

 Common in many shore pools. 



21. Spotted Goby. Gobius minutus, Gmel. 

 Very common in Lancashire shallow waters. 



22. Speckled Goby. Gobius parnelli. 



Day's G. Parnelli is only the estuarine 

 ' race ' of G. minutus} 



23. Transparent Goby or Nonnat. Aphia pellu- 



cida (Nard.) 

 I have seen great numbers of this little fish 

 near Roa Island in the Barrow Channel. 



24. Dragonet. Callionymus lyra, Linn. 



The Gemmous dragonet, ' skulpin,' or ' bishop.' 

 Very common everywhere in shallow water. 



25. The Spoiled Dragonet. Callionymus macula- 



tus, Bon. 



Very rare in the Irish Sea, though no doubt it 



is often confused with C. lyra. Some specimens 



taken by Mr, J. A. Clubb in 1902 off the 



Liverpool N. W. light vessel were identified by 



1 Holt and Byrne. Rep. Board of Agriculture and 

 Technical Instruction, Ireland. Fisheries. Pt. 2. Scien- 

 tific investigations, 1902. 



ISI 



