NOTES AND QUERIES. 235 



PISCES. 

 Large Eolibut at Isle of Man. — A fine Holibut, Hippoglossus vulgaris, 

 was brought into Ramsey Market on April 8th, having been taken by the 

 trawl-boat ' Swift ' off Bahama Bank. I saw it at the fish- dealer's (Aldritt's), 

 and found it measured 6 ft. 6 in. by 2 ft. 6 in., and 8 in. thick. I asked 

 that it might be weighed, but on my return found that it had been cleaned 

 and packed to be sent across the water. I now hear that it was then 

 weighed at 200 lbs. About 14 lbs. had been removed in the cleaning of 

 it. In its stomach was a whole cod and many tish-bones. I have a note 

 of one taken at the same place in November, 1891 (140 lbs.), in which was 

 a recently swallowed cod. Day, in his 'British Fishes,' quotes Lacepede 

 to the effect that in Greenland these fish " appeared to prefer localities also 

 frequented by the cod, as they probably seek the same food." Evidently it 

 simplifies matters to make one mouthful of the cod and his food together. 

 It appears that in April, 1829, an example, 7| ft. long and 320 lbs. weight, 

 was taken off the Isle of Man, one of the largest recorded in the British 

 Islands. — P. M. C. Kermode (Ramsey, Isle of Man). 



Occurrence of the Cuckoo Ray at Great Yarmouth. — Couch, in 

 describing this Ray, remarks that " this well-marked species has been over- 

 looked or mistaken by many naturalists." Such appears to have been 

 locally the case, for, until Feb. 4th, it remained unidentified in this neigh- 

 bourhood, when a message from a fish merchant reached me to the effect 

 that " a queer Skate had turned up." The gentleman referred to (amongst 

 others) keeps an eye open for " strangers." Hence the opportunity afforded 

 of examining what turned out to be a very interesting take. This fish was 

 caught on the hooks of a steam long-liner sailing out of this port, and 

 fishing along the coast as far as Grimsby, returning every two or three days 

 with her catches. The Ray was yet " stiff " and ungutted. It was a 26-iuch 

 female, and contained eggs running from the size of snipe-shot to chestuuts. 

 Couch hints that its spawning-time may be December, but leaves a wide 

 margin when remarking he had seen eggs just ready to be shed in July. 

 The fish much resembles a " Honer," Rata maculata, in shape and build. 

 Colour yellowish drab, verging on to red at the fin-borders. The surface of 

 the disc (back) is adorned with short spines, a half-circular row of which 

 defend the back of each eye ; a triangular group decorate the n shoulders," 

 whilst the tail, which is stout at the origin, tapers off posteriorly, and has 

 two fins near the end. It has a gutter-like depression running its whole 

 length, protected on either side by five rows of spines. The pair of marbled 

 circular blotches, of black and white, each the size of a half-crown, are very 

 distinct. The specimen has been preserved for Yarmouth Museum. 



A somewhat smaller male came to hand on Feb. 16th, whilst a third 



