THE ZOOLOGIST 



No. 871.— January 15th, 1914. 



SOME FISH-NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH AND 

 THE NEIGHBOURHOOD FOR 1913. 



By Arthur H. Patterson. 



The past year has not been remarkable for any great 

 Ichthyological surprises, notwithstanding the long spells of fine 

 weather obtaining during the greater part of it, and the high 

 temperature which the ocean maintained even until late into 

 November, when it yet registered some half-dozen degrees above 

 the normal condition. Owing to the latter phenomenon, and 

 probably the long continuance of southerly winds, with strong 

 tidal influences, the advent of the Leathery Turtle (Dermatochelys 

 coriacea) — two are said to have been seen together — may almost 

 safely be laid. Some unusually iarge shoals of Mackerel of a goodly 

 size characterised the fishing during the latter part of November. 

 Most of my summer holidays and other spare hours were spent 

 in my new houseboat (Moorhen II.) on the Waveney, so that I 

 did not get into touch quite so closely with local fisherfolk as in 

 some years. 



With regard to the Turtle, the first intimation I received of 

 its appearance was on November 11th, when I saw a note in a 

 local paper mentioning its capture in the nets of a herring- 

 drifter, its being sold on the fish market for £S, and its reputed 

 shipment to Hamburg. It was also stated as weighing between 

 3 cwt. and 4 cwt., a weight vastly increased in a succeeding 

 " par." in the same journal on the 13th, that to me was by no 

 means satisfactory : the weight then given was 18| cwt. ! and 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. XVIII., January, 1914. B 



