FISHES 
55. Lesser Launce. Ammodytes tobianus, Linn. 
Locally, Sand-Eel. 
Exceedingly abundant on all suitable parts 
of the coast, and preyed upon by birds of 
many species. 
56. Garfish. Belone vulgaris, Fleming. 
Locally, Horn-Eel, Mackerel Guide, Herring 
Guide. 
Of occasional occurrence, generally during 
the summer months, when gravid females are 
sometimes taken in brackish water, as, for 
example, at the mouth of the Eden. 
57. Saury. Scombresox saurus, Walb. 
Rarer in our inshore waters than the pre- 
ceding species. Dr. I’Anson showed me a 
specimen taken near Whitehaven in 1890. 
Curiously enough, it was caught with a hook 
and line by a boy who was fishing off the 
Whitehaven quay. I have seen two or three 
others, all of which had been left by the tide 
upon the shores of the Solway Firth. 
HEMIBRANCHII 
** 58. Three-spined Stickleback. Gastrosteus 
aculeatus, Linn. 
Locally, Cock-hardy (male), Hen-hardy (fe- 
male). 
A common resident in becks and ditches. 
The marine form, G. trachurus, frequents the 
creeks of the salt marshes. I have also seen 
many in the nets of shrimpers. The late 
Captain Kinsey Dover, procured some ex- 
amples of the four spined variety (var. spinu/osus) 
from the neighbourhood of Keswick. 
*59. Ten-spined Stickleback.  Gastrosteus 
pungitius, Linn. 
Locally, Prickly Dick. 
A resident species in our smaller becks, 
especially in the south of the county. 
60. Fifteen-spined Stickleback.  Gastrosteus 
spinachia, Linn. 
A visitant to the inshore waters, sometimes 
numerous enough to be termed plentiful in 
the Solway Firth. 
LOPHOBRANCHII 
61. Great Pipe-fish. Syngnathus acus, Linn. 
A fairly plentiful species in the waters of 
the Solway Firth. The largest that I have 
seen was taken near Silloth, and measured 154 
inches. 
62. Worm Pipe-fish. Nerophis lumbriciformis, 
- Linn. 
Possibly of general distribution through our 
inshore area, but the only local specimens that 
I have seen were taken near Whitehaven 
where it is not uncommon, 
HAPLOMI 
*63. Pike. 
Large pike exist in some of the lakes of 
this county : Derwentwater, for example, and 
Bassenthwaite can supply records of very heavy 
fish, and big pike are sometimes taken out of 
the Eden. Destructive to its own kind, 
nothing comes amiss to the hungry maw of 
this voracious fish ; woe betide the hapless 
duckling that incautiously ventures within 
reach of its cunning foe. In the thirteenth 
century, the moats which then surrounded 
Carlisle Castle were filled with pike; pre- 
sumably, that a supply of fish for fast days 
might thus be secured to a besieged garrison. 
Esox lucius, Linn. 
OSTARIOPHYSI 
*64. Carp. Cyprinus carpio, Linn. 
Carp only exist in a few ponds, into which 
they have apparently been introduced at one 
time or another. ‘Tarn Wadling, drained in 
1858, was famous for the size of its carp, some 
of which measured as much as 2 feet in 
length and 14% inches in girth. 
*65. Roach. Leuciscus rutilus, Linn. 
A resident species in the Eden, Irthing, and 
other rivers suitable to its habits. 
*66. Chub. Leuciscus cephalus, Linn. 
Locally, Skelly, Chevin (0ds.). 
Only too abundant in our salmon rivers, 
much to the regret of fly-fishermen. A great 
many chub are destroyed in the Eden, to 
make room for more sporting fishes. 
*67. Dace. Leuciscus dobula, Linn. (L. vul- 
garis, Day.) 
A few dace are to be found in the Eden, 
between Carlisle and the estuary. Their 
presence in other rivers has never been re- 
ported to me. 
*68. Minnow. Leuciscus phoxinus, Linn. 
This small species is abundant, and serves 
as valuable food to larger fishes. 
*69. Tench. Tinca vulgaris, Cuv. 
Single specimens have been taken in the 
Eden, near Carlisle. I never myself have 
seen a local. specimen, but T. C. Heysham 
did so. 
*70. Bream. Abramis brama, Linn. 
The late T. C. Heysham received two 
specimens from the neighbourhood of Bowness, 
173 
