486 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



COAL-FISH. 



Gadus virens, L. 



This is a common fish upon our coast in all stages, from the 

 fry, which are often caught in the shrimp-nets, to the fully- 

 mature fish chiefly obtained on the open portions of our coast. 

 Some individuals are taken in the docks with hook and lines. 

 The Coal-fish is known to our fishermen as the ' Green-back ' or 

 1 Bluffin.' 



HAKE. 



Merluccius vulgaris, Flem. 



The Hake has not been taken, to my present knowledge, in 

 the shallow waters of the English Solway, nor can I record it as 

 taken within the limits of Morecambe Bay, but it occurs spar- 

 ingly upon our open sea-board. Dr. Welby I' Anson writes to 

 me that ' the Hake is occasionally found on this coast [i.e. off 

 Whitehaven], but is regarded by the fishermen as an " escape " 

 from the Irish coast where they catch it in great numbers.' 



GREATER FORKBEARD. 



Phycis blennioides (Briinn.). 



T. C. Heysham informed Yarrell of specimens taken in the 

 Solway Firth in December 1833 and March 1836. He also 

 wrote to Yarrell on the 29th of March 1837, reporting the 

 occurrence of a third specimen in the following words : ' On the 

 1 4th inst. I received a fine specimen of the Great Forkedbeard 

 (Phycis furcatus) which had been taken in the Solway Firth the 

 day previous. I have to beg your acceptance of this rarity, 

 which I have already sent in a box to your friend Mr. H. 

 Doubleday, who I make no doubt will deliver it safely to you 

 the first opportunity; and which I trust will prove acceptable. 

 When the fish was first brought to me, the sides above the 

 lateral line were strongly tinged with reddish pink.' Dr. I' Anson 

 secured an example caught off St. Bees, May 24, 1892 : it 

 measured 23 J inches, and weighed nearly 5 lbs. 



