104 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Mullet from one to three or four inches in the rock-pools and 
pools on the banks of the Taw. They disappeared later in the 
autumn. One shoal lived in a pit covered every day by the tide 
for about a fortnight. They were always to be found at low tide 
floating in this pool, with their snouts well above water, like 
half-submerged submarines, facing the mouth of a gully which 
was emptying itself into the pool. 
A small Sunfish (Orthagoriscus mola) was captured this sum- 
mer at Ilfracombe. The steamer ‘ Torrington,’ which unloaded 
at Bideford on September 16th, had on board another Sunfish 
measuring roughly 4 ft. by 3 ft. 6in. This fish had followed the 
vessel into the estuary. When off Greysands it got entangled in 
the anchor-chain, and was hauled aboard. I caught a Shanny 
(Blennius pholis) of a length of five inches. Numerous young 
ones in the pools on same date (Oct. 11th), but Montagu’s Blenny 
has completely disappeared, though numerous last year. A 
gentleman, while prawning at Instow, caught a sleepy Sole of 
p lb. 6 oz. 
On Oct. 17th a Porbeagle (Lamna cornubica) was captured at 
Ilfracombe, in the inner harbour. After providing an exciting 
chase to the fishermen it was landed, and found to be 7 ft. 5 in. 
in length, with a girth of 3 ft. 7} in. The men had struck it 
with a gaff and an oar, but the latter snapped. ‘The fish became 
disabled, and a noose was slipped round its tail, but it suddenly | 
made a tremendous leap and got free, and swam for the inner 
harbour. Here it onee again got free from a rope placed round 
the tail, but it eventually ran ashore on the beach. It was then 
lifted into a handcart, and a crowd quickly gathered to see the 
creature ; when suddenly it opened its mouth quickly, and made 
a big lurch with its tail. The consequence was that the hand- 
cart upset, and the crowd, of course, fled in all directions! This 
was its last effort. A Whale-thresher (Alopecias vulpes) was 
caught at Plymouth this year, and it occurs fairly common on 
that coast. Itis seldom seen on the north coast. One was taken 
at Ilfracombe many years ago, but has not occurred since. Con- 
gers have been in great force, specimens of 51 lb. and 60 lb. having 
been landed. They rarely get beyond this size with us. 
The Horse-Mackerel (Caranz trachurus) occurs erratically, 
generally with any abnormally large shoals of ordinary Mackerel. 
