250 On the Pollan of Lough Neagh. 
bouring pier. They altogether tilled live one-horse carts, and were 
sold on the spot at the rate of 3s. 4d. a hundred, producing L. 23, 
6s. 8d. From 3s. 4d. to 4s. a hundred, has been the ordinary price 
this season at the lake side, or directly from the fishermen ; some 
years ago, it was so low as Is. 8d. a hundred, but at that time the regu- 
lar system of carriage to a distance, as now adopted, did not exist. At 
the former rates, they are purchased by carriers, who convey them 
for sale to the more populous parts of the neighbouring country, and 
to the towns within a limited distance of the lake. They are brought 
in quantities to Belfast, and when the supply is good, the cry of 
" fresh pollan" prevails even to a greater extent than that of " fresh 
herring," though both fishes are in season at the same period,of the 
year. In the month of June 1834, 50 hundreds (61500 individuals) 
of pollans and 1251bs. weight of trout were taken at one draught of 
a net, at another part of the lake, near Ram's island, which was the 
most successful capture made there for twenty-four years. In 1834, 
this fish was more abundant than ever before known. Like the 
gwyniad and vendace, the pollan dies very soon after being taken 
from the water,* and likewise keeps for a very short time. It is not 
in general estimation for the table, but is, I think, a very good and 
well-flavoured fish. 
Though permanently resident, the pollan is very far from being 
generally diffused throughout Long Neagh, and, unlike the herring, 
shows but little caprice in the parts of the shore it periodically ap. 
proaches, rarely appearing in places bordering its chief haunt, and 
which offer to our view in every respect a similar character. An ex- 
ample of this is afforded by a comparison of the beach, between the 
river Mayola and Toome, where it rarely occurs, and that from the 
Six-mile-water to Shane's Castle, its favourite resort. A few houses 
contiguous to the latter locality were, so long as they existed, dig- 
nified with the name of Pollan's Town ; but within the last few 
years, they have been pulled down to make way for " the park's ex- 
tended bounds."t 
In the months of November and December, this fish deposits its 
spawn where the lake presents a hard or rocky bottom. On the 4th 
of December 1835, a quantity of the largest pollans I have seen 
were brought to Belfast market. Several which I obtained for ex- 
* Pennant states this of the gwyniad, and Sir William Jardine of the vendace, 
(Edin. Journ of Nat. and Geog. Science.) Dr Knox, however, says of the lat- 
ter species, " that they live as long as most fishes on being removed from the 
water." Trans. Roy. Soc. of Edin. Vol. xii. p. 505. 
f Shane's Castle Park, the seat of Earl O'Neill. 
