PEDICULATI. 77 



the second spine. Risso states that the female attains to a larger size than does 

 the male. 



Diseases. — Mcintosh, 1. c. Fishes of St. Andrew's, observes that this fish is 

 "common off the West Sands and frequently captured in the salmon nets. One 

 of the specimens had acute pericarditis." 



As food. — Usually rejected in Great Britain, but said by Willughby and 

 Donovan to have very delicate flesh, resembling that of a frog, and to be eaten 

 in some countries ; and Couch, that a private individual reports our angler to be 

 a delicious fish. Johnston says it was produced at a feast given to a king of 

 Thrace ; and Parnell observes that " the flesh is considered good, particularly that 

 near the tail." 



Habitat. — This species is said to be seldom captured north of 60° north 

 latitude, and though rare on the coasts of Denmark and in the Baltic, it extends 

 southwards in the Atlantic as far as the Cape of Good Hope, and also throughout 

 the Mediterranean. It is frequent in Newfoundland,* and along the eastern 

 shores of North America to as far south as Cape Hatteras in North Carolina. 



Although Low in his account of the Orkneys did not consider it to be common, 

 Baikie reported it as tolerably frequent both there and in the Shetland Isles. 

 It is taken all round the British coast, but largest in numbers towards the south, 

 and is numerous in Cornwall throughout the year, but most frequently observed 

 during fine weather in summer or autumn, at which time it approaches the shore. 

 It is common in the North Sea, and frequently met with off Banffshire (Edward), 

 in the Moray Firth (Harris), and the Firth of Forth (Parnell). Dr. Lowe 

 observes that it is not uncommon in Norfolk estuary, where it sometimes attains 

 a large size : but one taken in the Humber in May, 1845 (Zoologist, p. 1035), 

 was considered, owing to its supposed rarity, to be worth recording. 



In Ireland it is common round the coast, but is said to seldom exceed four feet 

 in length. On the north-east coast the fishermen open them to ascertain the 

 contents of their stomachs, after which they are thrown overboard and become 

 washed ashore ; they reject them as food. On the south-west coast of Cork they 

 are detested, and as soon as taken the fishermen strike their heels into the 

 posterior part of the fishes' skulls, and then throw them overboard : not only do 

 they reject them as food but they rarely if ever open them. 



This fish, although generally measuring up to 2| or 3 feet in length, may attain 

 to 6 or 7 feet. The example figured is about 11 inches long and from the south 

 coast. 



Saxby, Zoologist, 1871, p. 2553. 



