18 Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union : Annual Report, 1932. 
these fish were caught off Scarborough at distances varying from 4 miles, 
to 30 miles from the shore. The weights ran from 434 lb. up to 798 lb. 
Six tunnies were also caught near Whitby, from 538 lb. to 700 lb. in 
weight. A fine example of the rare Wolffish, Anarrhichas latifrons t 
measuring 3J ft. in length and 28 £ in. in girth, was caught by the S.T. 
Brilliant Star on August 17th, 1932, 24 miles E.N.E. off Scarboroughs 
It was sent to the British Museum, where an examination of its stomach 
revealed that it had been feeding upon pollack. This is, I believe, the 
fourth record for the North Sea. 
An hermaphrodite Cod, containing both roe and milt, was trawled. 
20 miles off Scarborough on March 24th., 1932. Two Halibut of unusual 
size for the North Sea, were caught on a line within 5 miles off Filey Brig, 
on July 13th, 1932. One weighed 9 st. 13 lb., the other 2 lb. less. A 
Short Sunfish was taken in Filey Bay first week in August, 1932. It was 
a small example measuring just over 2 ft. from tip to tip of its fins. 
A very beautiful pied variety of the Common Sole was landed at Scar- 
borough on October nth, having being caught near that place. It 
measured 1 1 in. in length, the general colour above and below was pinkish- 
white, variegated with orange and dark -brown blotches, both sides being 
coloured alike. Pilchards are not common off the Yorkshire coast, but 
are doubtless much overlooked. Six examples were noticed amongst 
the catches of herrings landed at Scarborough between July 21st and July 
26th, 1932. A Twaite Shad, 13 in. long, was trawled 37 miles E.S.E.. 
off Scarborough on April 25th, 1932. A small Sturgeon about 5^ ft. long 
was landed at Scarborough on May 19th, having being caught near the 
port. Another about 2 ft. long was caught 26 miles E. by N., on March 
4th, and a third was taken 12 miles E. by S. off Scarborough on January 
7th, 1932. It weighed 7 lb. 
Porbeagle Sharks were very abundant off Scarborough and Whitby 
during the warm months, and many were caught by the fishing boats, 
while they proved a nuisance to the Tunny anglers. They ran up to' 
9^ ft. in length. 
A Sting Ray, 16 in. long, was trawled 12 miles N.E. off Scarborough, 
on February 9th, 1932. This poisonous species has occurred more 
frequently off the Yorkshire coast in recent years. 
A Sea Lamprey, 31 J in. in length, clung to the side of a boat near- 
Robin Hood’s Bay on January 21st, 1932, and was gaffed. Every 
Tunny I have been able to examine has borne scars from the attacks- 
of this parasite fish. 
An Angel Shark, Fiddle Fish, or Monkfish (not the “ Monk ’ of the 
Yorkshire fishermen), measuring 36 in. in length, was caught 12 miles- 
N.E. off Scarborough on September 13th, 1932. This is not a common 
fish off the Yorkshire coast, and most of the fishermen had never seen one. 
Birds. — Owing to the inclement weather in the spring of 1932, the 
summer migrants were generally late in their arrival, and some did not 
appear in their usual numbers. Chiff Chaffs, Sand Martins, Turtle 
Doves, and Landrails were very scarce in the Scarborough Area. At 
Whitby, however. Landrails were heard in eleven different places during 
June, and a Turtle Dove was seen near the same place where it seldom 
occurs. There was no evidence of the presence of Reed Warblers at 
Scarborough Mere this year, and only a single Grasshopper Warbler was. 
heard. Swifts were more numerous, as well as Common Sandpipers, 
whose numbers showed a welcome increase on recent years on all the 
streams in the Scarborough Area. Goldfinches were more abundant near- 
Scarborough and nested there. Pied Flycatchers appeared in some 
numbers. Five pairs nested near Goathland, and three pairs in Forge 
Valley, where seven male birds were seen together on May 14th 1932. 
Grey Wagtails were not so plentiful as usual during the past year, but all. 
the usual nesting places for Dippers and Kingfishers were occupied, and 
both these species are well maintaining their numbers. Curlews were 
The Naturalist 
