A HISTORY OF ESSEX 44. Hake. Merluccius vulgarls, Linn. Although this fish is so common on the south and west coasts of this island I never remember seeing more than one specimen which had been captured on the Essex coast. The fish was sent me by a dealer to name. Dale says (Hist, of Harwich, p. 429), 'Hake is sometimes caught here, and when salted and dried is called " Poor Jack." ' 45. Ling. Molva vulgaris, Flem. Mr. E. A. Fitch writes me that his in- formant, G. Gibson, has seen several Thames examples 9 to 12 inches long during the winter and spring months, and one was ob- tained in the trawl below Southend pier on April i, 1897. It measured I foot in length and contained in its stomach a rockling half as big as itself. 46. Five-bearded Rockling. Motella mustela, Linn. This is not common, our muddy shores not suiting its habits, but I possess a specimen taken in the Colne. Day (Fishes of Great Britain, i. 316) gives the mouth of the Thames among its haunts. 47. Three-bearded Rockling. Motella tri- cirrata, Linn. Mr. E. A. Fitch has taken this in the Blackwater. 48. Lesser Fork-beard. Raniceps raninus, Linn. Day records (Fishes of Great Britain, i. 321) the capture of one by Mr. S. W. Wand in May, 1858, in the river Crouch. 49. Holibut. Hippoglossus vulgaris, Flem. Mr. H. L. Matthams informs me this is sometimes taken in the ' keddles ' on the sands at Foulness, but it may be considered a rare visitor to the Thames estuary. One was captured in 1856 by hook and line. It was 3 ft. long. Another 5 ft. long is reported to have been captured about thirty years ago. 50. Long Rough Dab. Hippoglossus liman- doides, Bloch. Mr. E. A. Fitch informs me that speci- mens of this fish have been taken in the Blackwater in the spring. 51. Turbot. Rhombus maximus, Linn. This well known fish is taken on all parts of our coast where suitable ground occurs. It is most frequently captured by trawling, but many are caught on the sandy shores or Foulness in ' keddles,' that is, in V-shaped nets the apex of which points seawards. 52. Brill. Rhombus leevis, Linn. This fish is captured in the same manner and is not rare. 53. EckstrSm's Topknot. Zeugopterus uni- maculatus, Risso. Occasionally taken, but very rare. 54. Muller's Topknot, Common Topknot. Zeugopterus punctatus, Bloch. As an Essex fish is very rare. Mr. E. A. Fitch informs me one was caught in the Blackwater, September 6, 1900. Another in the Crouch, November 6, 1900. And as both of these were considered by the fisher- men to be young brill, it is probable that they may be more common than they are gener- ally considered to be. 55. Scaldfish or Megrim. Arnoghssus laterna, Walb. Mr. Fitch informs me that one of these fish was caught in a trawl near the Chapman on April 21, 1900. It measured 5 in. long. 56. Plaice. Pleuronectes platessa, Linn. Small sized plaice are very common on all parts of the coast, and if light tackle and small hooks are used they afford good sport. 57. Smear Dab, Lemon Dab or Mary Sole. Pleuronectes microcephalus, Donovan. This is taken frequently on the coast and in the estuaries only by trawling or other forms of netting. Is one of the best flavoured of the family. 58. Pole, Craig Fluke or Long Flounder. Pleuronectes cynoglossus, Linn. Very rare. Mr. E. A. Fitch writes me that he has a specimen from the Blackwater. 59. Dab, Sand Dab. Pleuronectes limanda, Linn. Very common on all our coasts.
- 60. Flounder. Pleuronectes flesus, Linn.
A fish common everywhere on all parts of the coast, ascending rivers much beyond the tideway and frequently seen in the slightly brackish water of the marsh ditches. 61. Sole. Solea vulgaris, Quensel. This very common and delicious fish occurs on all our sandy coasts in great but largely diminishing numbers. 224
