SPARID^. 27 



As food. — Its flesh is usually soft and little esteemed, but those taken in 

 August and September at Boulogne and Calais are said to have firmer flesh and a 

 moderately good taste. 



Habitat. — Rare off the coasts of southern Norway, Ireland and Scotland, but 

 becoming more common along the west and south coast of England and in the 

 North Atlantic Ocean to Madeira and the Canary Islands : while it also abounds 

 throughout the Mediterranean. 



This fish was first recorded in Britain by Colonel Moijtagu in ] 816, as Sparus 

 lineatus, it is distributed along the entire south and up a portion of the west 

 coasts of England ; rarely in companies, but usually more solitary in its habits. 

 In the Westminster Aquarium, however, I observe that they constantly swim 

 together in companies. In Banfishire " a few of them are generally procured 

 every autumn or ahout the beginning of winter" (Edward). 



Ireland. — ^May, 1846, the first example recorded of late years,"was captured by 

 a hand-line baited with a lug-worm in Belfast Bay. Thompson says it had 

 D. 10/11, A. 1/11, and the upper caudal lobe the longer. Another was taken in 

 November at Kilmore, in the County of Wexford. While Rutty remarks 

 " found about the rocks of Bullock, Dunleary, and Killeny Bay." 



As to the size it attains. Couch mentions one of 16 inches in length : and 

 Tarrell one of 17 inches, while it has heen taken up to 20 inches. Mr. Cornish 

 states that one 7g inches in length was taken at Penzance, May 24th, 1880, and 

 adds that he had not seen so small an example since May 26th, 1859. 



