88G 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the boats to prevent them sinking in the yielding shingle. A 

 rope was speedily attached to the keel, and the boat heaved by 

 a sturdy winch over the high angle of shingle on to the beach. 



I noticed but few species of fish in the boats, the catches 

 evidently being sorted when the trawl is hauled. A bag-net which 

 averaged enough Soles to fill a bucket was invariably thrown 

 ashore from each boat ; these after being rinsed in the sea were 

 immediately gutted on the beach. Some " Koker," Blue Skate, 

 Spotted Kay, and Plaice of small size, with a couple of large 

 Edible Crabs and a Lobster were all the other species noted. A 

 few Sand-stars and some broken Sabellce told of the nature of the 

 ground " worked." The men were exceedingly courteous and 

 communicative. The boats are marked I. H. (Port of Ipswich). 

 I roughly paced the trawl-beams at from eighteen feet to twenty 

 feet. The beach is woefully lumbered up with old gear, winches, 

 boxes, broken Crab-pots, &c. 



There attaches some considerable interest to the chequered 

 histories of these East Suffolk fishing towns, figuring as they did 

 largely on the panorama of the ages ; but too much room cannot 

 be given to a survey of them, however brief. A very condensed 

 and succinct account of the past and successive fisheries of 

 Lowestoft, Southwold, Dunwich, and Aldeburgh, full of curious 

 phrasing, is given by Miss E. M. Hewett in the 'Victorian 

 History of Suffolk,' vol. ii., in a chronologically arranged manner. 

 I venture to quote from two short items in Hele's 'Notes about 

 Aldeburgh," "in respect of the fishery." They are couched in 

 the quaint language of the period, in each case referring to rights 

 in dispute. One is an indenture between William Saunbrugge, 

 Prior of the Priory of our Lady of Snape ... on the one part, 



and Piobert Cosard, John Benselyn, Bobert Bayer, &c 



granteth by these present writings to the said Towne and Tene- 

 ments that whereas they paid in the Old time ? for every boat 

 . . . . going to fishing for Sperling [Smelts] in spurling time 

 shall pay yearly for evermore to the said Pry or," &c. 



Hele also gives a copy of an indenture : — "The ccunterparte 

 of an Indenture between the Citye of London and Aldburgh that the 

 Aldburgh men should pay no duties at London for unlading Her- 

 rings Spratts Coals salt and other things. — Dated 1st Dec. 1608." 



Keference must be made to a sporting pastime which in- 



