FISHES 521 



TWAITE SHAD. 



Clwpea finta, Cuv. 



Yarrell, referring to the two British species of Shad, states : 

 ' I learn from Mr. [T. C] Heysham that both species have been 

 taken on the west coast of Cumberland. ' 1 When examining the 

 collection of Mr. J. E. Wallace of Distington, I found a speci- 

 men labelled 'Twaite Shad, Harrington, 1836.' Mr. Wallace 

 appears to have obtained most of his specimens of British fishes 

 from the coast of the Isle of Man. 



Order PHYSOSTOMI. Fam. MURJZNIDjE. 



SHARP-NOSED EEL. 



Anguilla vulgaris, Flem. 



An excellent illustration of the value which at one time 

 attached to the fish supply is afforded by a letter attributed to 

 Sir John de Drokenford, dated February 25,1 303-4. The writer 

 was in Scotland in attendance on Edward I., and expected to 

 stay there all Lent. He begged of his correspondent in 

 Cumberland that if any ' porpoys ' or ' graspoys ' or ' laumpres 

 de Nauntes,' or other ' freshes,' should come in his way, or if 

 any large eels could be found, he would instantly salt them, as 

 well as any smaller eels, so that they might last well, and send 

 them to him. 2 Whether the wishes of the knight were carried 

 out does not appear. It is highly probable that a supply of 

 Eels were forthcoming, because these fishes have always been 

 numerous in our lakes and rivers. Sandford describes their 

 relative abundance in Ulleswater : ' And now I must goe up 

 southward to Glencume Beck, that parts Cumberland and West- 

 morland on the eastward, and presently falls into the great 

 River Eles water or Eales water, for theirs the greatest gott in 

 england: Thick as ones arme They come forth of a tarne or 

 meer on Top of montaines : how long they stay in this River : 

 but naturall they goe downe every August to the sea : and swim 



1 British Fishes, 2d ed., vol. ii. p. 211. 



2 Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland, vol. ii. p. 382. 



