293 
POLLAN. 
FRESH-WATER HERRING. 
Goregonus pollan, Thompson; Natural History of Ireland, 
vol. iv, p. 168. 
Poiuan, Yabkell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 151, 
“ Jentns; Manual, p. 422. 
This fish affords one of the many examples in which the 
common name in one district is unhnown in another at no g^reat 
distance, hut where the same speeies bears what might appear 
even a more characteristic designation; and yet which it shares 
with some other fish of even a different genus. It was from 
this cause that an attempt to obtain examples of the Pollan in 
Ireland was met with the reply that no fish was known by 
that name, although on further search at the same place it 
was discovered that the Fresh-water Herring was familiarly 
known to everyone, although even this name was applied to 
more than one species. And truly the latter designation is 
well applied to the fish we now treat of, and more appropriately 
than to any kind of Chars, so far as a cursory appearance 
goes; for, setting aside the small adipose fin, the likeness of 
the Pollan to the Herring in shape and colour is such as 
well to entitle the former to the epithet of clupenoides, which 
it might well bear. 
It resembles the Herring also in being gregarious, and when 
they assemble it is often in large numbers, at which time they 
are fished for with a sweep-net, and thus they furnish a good 
supply of food for the public, the price not being a hindrance 
even to the poor. Mr. Ihoinpson informs us that on some 
unusual occasions upwards of seventeen thousand have been 
taken at three or four draughts of a net in one day, and they 
