VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 05 



to a slip of the pen. Prof. Forbes also says : — " Frogs are 

 abundant, though they are popularly believed to have been im- 

 ported, an idea for which there is no foundation." But Sache- 

 verell, Governor of the Island in 1696, in his ' Short Survey of 

 the Isle of Man,' remarks on the Curragh, in Kirk Christ 

 Legayre, " not producing frogs or toads ; though this may not 

 seem strange in the neighbourhood of Ireland, both nations 

 ascribing it to the blessing of their common apostle, St. Patrick." 

 He offers some curious speculations on the cause. And Bishop 

 Wilson, writing prior to 1755, expressly says in his ' History of 

 the Isle of Man,' contributed to Gibson's edition of Camden 

 (4th ed., 1772, p. 392) : — " It is not now two years since some- 

 body brought in frogs, which they say increase very fast." 



The Frog, Rana temporaria, Linn., for which there is no 

 Manks name, is now abundant throughout the island. 



Fish. 



The most noticeable thing with respect to Fish is the absence 

 of fresh-water forms, of which only two Sticklebacks, Salmon, 

 Trout, Eel, and Lampern are to be met with. 



Labrax lupus, Cuv. Bass, Eeast, which is also the Manks for 

 the class of fish generally. Plentiful about July. 



Mullus barbatus, Linn., var. surmuletus. Surmullet. About 

 July ; not common. 



Pagellus centrodontus } Cuv. and Val. Common Sea-bream, 

 loc. Carp, as on the N.E. coast of Ireland, " Carf, Carp." July 

 and August. This is included by Forbes under the name of 

 Pagrus vulgaris. 



Cottus scorpius, Linn. Father lasher, Kione tramman, and 

 Bullkione. Common in rock pools left by the tide ; generally 

 small, about 4 to 6 in. 



C. bubalis, Euph. Bubalis, Lucky proach. 



Trigla lineata, Gmel. Streaked Gurnard, Crodane, a generic 

 term : compare the Gaelic, Cnudan, cnodan, crudan. 



T. cuculus, Linn. Elleck, Crodane jiarg, Captain jiarg. 



T. hirundo, Linn. Tubfish. I have never seen anything 

 more beautiful than the colours of the pectoral fins of this fish 

 when first brought out of the sea. Off the coast in July and 

 August; not so common as the last. 



T. gumardus, Linn. Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Crodane 



