GENERAL FACTS ABOUT SEA FISH 31 



family. Less easy of explanation are one or two other cases 

 that may here be quoted. Pilchards, for instance, were 

 common on the east coast of Scotland during the early years 

 of the nineteenth century, but have been very scarce there 

 ever since. The silvery blade-fish (Trichiurus) was common, 

 according to Dunn, on the coast of Cornwall every winter 

 from 1865 to 1875, but scarce in those waters both before 

 and since that decade. Similarly, the red band-fish (Cepola) 

 was common in Devon for two years, 1838-9, but never since. 



Now, in considering the distribution of our sea fish, we 

 have to distinguish them under four heads — fishes of different 

 seas, fishes of different characteristic grounds, fishes of deep 

 or shallow water, and fishes that pass their lives near the 

 bottom or close to the surface. 



These four categories call for brief explanation. 



I. The fishes of different seas are mainly, so far as our 

 list is concerned, distinguished as either northern or southern 

 forms. To the latter belong the bass (Lal>rax), breams 

 {Pagrus), and surmullet (Mullus), all of which flourish in the 

 Mediterranean. To the former belong the cod {Gadus\ 

 halibut (Hippoglossus), and torsk (Brosmius). Just as the 

 birds of northern and southern latitudes find, during their 

 migrations, a convenient resting-place in these islands, so do 

 the fishes of vastly different seas meet on our coasts. A 

 further similarity between the movements of the two classes 

 may be suggested. As the wildfowl and waterfowl of the 

 northern ice flock to our estuaries and lagoons in winter-time, 

 while the more gaily coloured birds of Africa and Southern 

 Europe come to us in summer, so are the northern fishes 

 more plentiful and of superior quality in our markets in the 

 cold months, while those of southern origin are conspicuous 

 with us only in summer. 



II. The distinction between the fishes of characteristic 

 grounds is of somewhat more practical interest and importance, 

 seeing that the fisherman must be guided by such empirical 



