OPHIDIID^. 331 



fishes from their hiding-places, using for this purpose old reaping-hooks. These 

 are run through the sand with the right hand drawn towards the left, by which 

 the fish is seized and transferred to a basket, strapped round the waist and 

 carried in front. It is in shape like the angler's, but much larger and open at the 

 top. Fishing here is daily carried on throughout the year except in winter, when 

 being full of spawn they are rejected as food. In some places they are sought for 

 by moonlight, and it has been said that their silvery brilliancy is more striking by 

 night than by day. A rake is used in some parts, or a strong piece of iron wire 

 bent into a sickle shape. 



A writer (Old Log) in the Field (June 18th, 1881) mentions that "when 

 going fast through the water to get over some very unpromising ground, and our 

 baits were nearly at the top of the water, I felt a very light bite, and, drawing in 

 my line, found that I had got hold of a large sand-eel, whose mouth was little 

 bigger than the baited hook. Now, according to all ordinary rules, the sand-eel 

 should have been in or about the sand at the bottom, and yet he was foraging at 

 the surface, and took a Belgian grub (see Pollack, p. 264) which must have been 

 a novelty to him." 



Baits. — It appears to like live bait best, and objects to any if in the least 

 tainted. 



Breeding. — This may vary in accordance with the seasons in different localities, 

 but I am not disposed to accept some of the statements recorded on this head. 

 In August at St. Ives I found the roe similarly advanced to what I observed in 

 A. tobianus, and conclude they both spawn in the autumn and winter months. 



As food. — A very delicate dish, especially when in roe, but not good during 

 the winter months, when it is thin and out of condition. It is very good fried 

 with bread crumbs, or even simply boiled. 



Uses. — As bait, for which its silvery appearance well adapts it. 

 Habitat. — From the Atlantic shores of northern Europe and coasts of the 

 German Ocean, and very rarely found in the Mediterranean. 



This form, although extended round the British Isles, is not so common as the 

 smaller sand-eel, and seems to prefer deeper water. It is rare in the Orkneys 

 and Zetland (W. Baikie) : common off Banff (Edward) : Aberdeen (Sim) : one 

 example is recorded from the Moray Firth taken from the stomach of a cod : at 

 St. Andrew's it is frequent in the debris of storms on the sands, as well as in the 

 latter near low water-mark : bands of young occur in the tidal pools in May 

 (Mcintosh) : not unfrequent in the Firth of Forth, Berwickshire, and in many 

 situations along the east and west coasts of Scotland (Parnell). In Yorkshire, 

 common, but somewhat local (Yorkshire Vertebrata) : common in the Norfolk 

 estuary (Lowe) : Suffolk : also along the south coast, as Sussex, Hampshire, 

 Dorsetshire (Tarrell), becoming rarer off south Devonshire and more or less 

 common along Cornwall. Abundant in Guernsey. Somersetshire (Baker). 



In Ireland it has been recorded from the north-east and west coasts, also 

 probably in the south, but is rarer than the smaller species, A. tobianus. 



The example figured is a fem.ale, 12 inches long, which I obtained at St. Ives 

 in August, 1881, the ova being nearly mature. Thompson took one in Ireland 

 11 inches in length : another 13 inches long has been recorded, while Ray's 

 example was 15|- iuches. 



B. Vomer unarmed. 



2. Ammodytes tobianus, Plate XCII, fig. 2. 



Sandilz, Salv. fol. 70 ; Aldrov. ii, c. 49, pp. 252, 264 ; Jonston, i, tit. 3, c. 3, 

 art. 1, t. xxi, f. 1. Tobianus, Schonev. p. 76. A-inmoccetus s. Ammodytes, Gesner, 

 p. 39 ; Willu. p. 113 ; Ray, p. 38. Ammodytes, Artedi, Synon. p. 29, and Genera, 

 p. 16, Spec. p. 55 ; Gronov. Zooph. p. 133, no, 404 ; Schlegc;!, Dieren Neder. p. 91, 

 pi. ix, f. 4. Unchelyopus, Klein, Pise. Miss, iv, p. 65, no. 6, t. xii, f. 8, 9. Saiid- 

 launae. Pennant, Brit. Zool. (Ed. 1) iii, p. 156, pi. xxv, no. 66 (Ed. 2) iii, p. 206, 

 pi. xxviii. The launoe, Low, Fauna Oread, p. 188. 



