3000 Fishes. 



colours are the same as those described by Yarrell ; but the fin-rays 

 coincide with the numbers which are given by Parnell. It took the 

 bait when the line was passing through the water at the rate of, pro- 

 bably, two miles an hour. According to the general opinion of our 

 practical fishermen at these stations, it takes a mussel bait or a piece 

 of the belly of a mackerel. Some of them, however, affirm, that its 

 more common and ordinary food is grub and sand-eels, which they 

 say it extracts by digging down into the soft bottom of the ocean. 

 The contents of the stomach, as examined by myself, certainly indi- 

 cate a soft molluscous pabulum, the whole being pulpy and passing 

 into a thick mucus. I mention these things, because Yarrell says, 

 that in the works to which he has access, he finds no mention of the 

 nature of its food. ( ' British Fishes,' vol. i. p. 393.) 



My next species is one of a very slippery character, being the 

 Myxine glutinosa, or glutinous hag. This fish does not appear in the 

 roll of those which are given by Dr. Parnell as the finny inhabitants 

 of the Firth of Forth. Yarrell says, that as a British fish, the Myxine 

 occurs most frequently on the eastern coast (' British Fishes,' vol. ii. 

 p. 463) ; and he particularizes Scarborough and Berwick as localities 

 where it may be met with. He describes it, moreover, as being with- 

 out eyes; but Dr. Dickie, of Queen's College, Belfast, to whom I 

 transmitted specimens from this locality, assures me that it has eyes. 

 On minute examination, I find that this is the case. They are, 

 however, not very readily discernible, in consequence of their being 

 covered over with skin. Naturalists, perhaps, would on this account 

 describe them as rudimentary. 



The Sea Bream (Pagellus cenirodontus), has now become a common 

 fish on this coast. An intelligent fishcurer informs me that it has 

 vastly increased during the course of the last three years ; and that, at 

 the present moment, it is quite abundant. Yarrell's description of it 

 appears to be perfect, unless that he overlooks a faculty possessed by 

 its snout, w T hich I find is commonly capable of a protrusion of half an 

 inch. Of this fish Dr. Parnell observes that, as we advance farther 

 north on the east coast of Scotland, it seems to become scarcer than 

 in the south ; and that in the Firth of Forth very little is known re- 

 garding it, its appearance there being of rare occurrence. He adds, 

 however, that two specimens have been noticed in the Firth just men- 

 tioned. ( ' Fishes of the Firth of Forth,' p. 208). As a viand it is not 

 in greater favour here, than it would seem to be in other localities. 

 By way of variety, I have caused to be tried the improved method 

 of cookery suggested for it by Mr. Yarrell ( ' British Fishes,' vol. i. p. 



