130 PHYSOSTOMI. 



Lough Derg: — During the last two seasons I have occasionally come across instances 

 of the fresh- water herring or " pollen " — a fish that little seems to be known about. 

 Those that I have seen I have always found floating in very deep water about the 

 centre of the lake in a half dead condition ; and, though I have been fishing the 

 lake for twenty years, I never before came across one ; but I have been told that 

 at times they have been taken in great numbers in nets. I never heard of one 

 having been taken on a hook, nor do I know on what they feed. 



Several examples of this fish have been similarly obtained in different years. 

 Thompson examined the stomach of six pollans in June, 1836, and " found them 

 all filled with food consisting chiefly of mature individuals of Gammarus aguaticus, 

 and the larvae of various aquatic insects : some shells of the genus Pisidium, one 

 of the fry of the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus), and a few fragments of 

 stone." In the stomach of one captured at Lough Neagh in July, there were not 

 less than a hundred examples of Mysis and a single I/imneus pereger. 



Means of capture. — Netted usually in an afternoon, then packed in boxes and 

 transmitted by rail and steamer to Liverpool, Manchester, and other large towns. 

 Has occasionally been taken with the artificial fly. 



The pollan, observes Thompson, approaches the shore in large shoals, not only 

 during spring and summer, but when the autumn is far advanced. The usual time 

 for fishing for it is in the afternoon, the boats returning the same evening. On 

 the days of the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of September, 1834, they were caught 

 plentifully from the shore. A short time previously 17,220 fish were taken at one 

 draught, selling at 3s 4<d the hundred (123), producing £23. 6s 8d. 



In a letter from Francis Nevil, Esq., to the Lord Bishop of Clogher, dated 

 February 12th, 1712, writing respecting Lough Neagh, he remarks that among 

 other fish it abounds in pollans. " The English call them fresh-water herrings, 

 for want of another name ; for pollan is an Irish name. They catch them in 

 summer with seines as they do herrings, and they are a great relief to the poor, 

 being very cheap ; they are much in shape and bigness like to the largest smelts, 

 full of very large bright scales, and pleasant meat, being eat fresh. They were 

 supposed to be a peculiar fish to that lake ; but since I came here I find Lough 

 Earne has the same sort, but not in so great plenty. They are generally caught 

 here in the eel-nets, running to the sea." 



Breeding. — They spawn in November and December on a hard or rocky 

 bottom, the ova are from -^ to f of an inch in diameter. Thompson found 6156 

 ova in an example llf in. long taken in Lough Neagh, November 28th, 1839. 



As food. — It is not held in any great estimation as it does not keep well, still if 

 fresh it is thought by some to be a well-flavoured fish. They used to be taken in 

 great quantities to Belfast ; large numbers are now exported to England. 



Hahitat. — Ireland in Loughs Neagh, Earne, and Derg, also in Lough Corrib 

 and in the Shannon. It attains the length of about 12 or 13 in., and its usual 

 weight is about 6 oz. 



This fish was first alluded to in Harris's History of the County of Down, 1744; 

 it is also mentioned under the name of Goashe, in Sir Henry Pier's Description of 

 the County of Westmeath, 1744, wherein it is said to be peculiar to Loughs Tron 

 and Direvragh. 



Though permanently resident in Lough Neagh, it is not generally diffused 

 there, and Thompson observes that it rarely occurs between the Rivers Mayola 

 and Toone : while from the six-mile-water to Shanes Castle is so favourite a 

 resort, that a few houses which formerly stood near the latter locality, were 

 dignified with the name of Pollans Town. The common eel is stated by a fisher- 

 man at Lough Neagh to live chiefly upon the pollan, and he frequently knew it 

 destroy these fish when in the nets, and also injure the nets. 



The largest example Thompson heard of was said to have weighed 2± lb., but 

 the largest he actually saw were 13 inches long. 



