FISH-NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH. 5 



the slightest doubt that this species turns up as frequently off 

 the Suffolk coast as it does off Norfolk. 



I never remember seeing such quantities of small, under- 

 sized sea fishes — " refuse " from the trawl-nets — hawked round 

 the town on barrows as obtained early in February : hundred- 

 weights of small Plaice, the size of one's hand, and Skate no 

 larger than tea-saucers. Such a waste of fish I suppose must 

 necessarily follow the use of the trawl-net, but it is pitiful, 

 nevertheless. 



February 6th. — I notice that the Whitings which at Christmas 

 time measured but 4£ inches, and were taken very numerously 

 on the lines of sea-anglers, now measure 6 inches. In October 

 they had grown to 10 inches and over. Local waters teemed 

 with this species in February, and Cods captured had their 

 stomachs packed with Whitings. 



A Codling of 2|- lb. weight was landed by a Gorleston sea- 

 angler, which was entirely minus a right pectoral fin, there being 

 neither stump nor " swivel " present. 



Pike were much in evidence at Oulton Broad, near Lowestoft, 

 in January and February, a writer describing the water as "being 

 alive" with them. Anglers made excellent catches. 



The John Dory, early in the year, was numerously caught 

 by Lowestoft trawlers off the North Norfolk coast. The average 

 ran to about the size of tea-plates. I think them excellent 

 eating : one needs but gut them and lay them in water in a 

 frying-pan. When cooked it is an easy matter to scrape off the 

 skin with a prong, and by a dexterous whip round the fins may 

 be cleanly drawn out. With a little care the sides while firm 

 and boneless may be removed from the backbone. A little 

 piquant sauce immensely adds to the delicacy of the flesh. 



It is rather remarkable that for all my many years' attempts 

 to secure a local example of the Burbot (Lota vulgaris), I have 

 been unable to do so. On February 10th Mr. W. H. Tuck, of 

 Bury St. Edmunds, wrote me that in answer to a letter Mr. 

 Howlett, of Newmarket, the well-known taxidermist, assured him 

 that he could procure a specimen at any time. Thus wrote Mr. 

 Howlett : — " I have frequently had these peculiar fish brought 

 me. They are common in many of the dykes and tributaries of 

 the Lark Piiver. Only a fortnight since a ' dyker ' brought me 



