68 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 



favourite bait here. There is an inshore fishing from August 

 to January, and a deep-sea fishing from February to April. 

 The fishing is considered not so good as formerly, and this in 

 part due to the destruction of spawning cod and of the fry. 



G. ceglefinus, Linn. Haddock, Attag. 



G. luscus, Linn. Bib, Whiting-pout. We used to get a fish 

 off Maughold in the summer when fishing Whiting which we 

 called the Miller's Thumb or Poltag. I feel certain, but speak 

 from memory, it corresponded exactly with Day's figure and 

 description of this species. 



G. merlangus, Linn. Whiting. 



G. virens, Linn. Coal-fish, Green Pollack, Bloggan, Sar- 

 geant, Scieen, Gilpin, and, when very large, Saithe. 



G. pollachius, Linn. Pollack, Kellag, calig. Common round 

 the coast. 



Merluccius vulgaris, Cuv. Hake. 



Phycis blennoides, BI. Schn. Greater fork-beard. From 1882 

 to 1885 I received several specimens trawled from a muddy 

 bottom off Peel. They were taken from April to the end of 

 July, and two or three of them (in July) were females having a 

 small roe. Day (' British Fishes,' i., p. 304) says — " The species 

 has not been recorded above 2 ft. long from the British Isles," 

 but two of my specimens measured 24£ in., one 24J in., and one 

 22| in. ; the greatest weight was 5§ lbs. 



Molva vulgaris, Flem. Ling. 



Motella tricirrata, Nilss. Three-bearded Kockling. About 

 Castletown. I have taken it among stones off Gob-ny-rona, near 

 Ramsey. 



Ammodytes lanceolatus, Lesauvage. Larger Sand-Launce, 

 Gibbon- vooar. Has been taken on a hook in Ramsey Bay, and 

 off the south of the island. 



A. tobianuSy Linn. Lesser Launce, Gibbon, Sand-eel. Plen- 

 tiful. Used to be taken with reaping-hooks, as described by 

 Thompson, of the last species on the coast of Down. A harrow 

 has also been used, the people following it, picking up the fish. 



] [ippoglossus vulgaris, Flem. Holibut. On 11th May, 1885, 

 one was taken on a long-line in Ramsey Bay, 6 ft. by 2 ft. and 

 6 to 7 in. thick, weighing 146 lbs., and in November, 1891, one was 

 taken off Bahama Bank, weighing 140 lbs. Day, ' British Fishes,' 

 ii., p- 8, emotes : — " An example, 7| ft. long and 320 lbs. weight, 



