FISHES it in the Yarc and called it aspredo, a transla- tion of our word ruffe (rough). Caius sent the first figure of this fish to Gcsner, who published it.' — YarrcU {British Fishes, vol. v.).
- 3. Sea Bass. Morone lahrax, Linn.
In the adult state not common, though occasionally in the Norfolk estuary. In 1869 I saw one caught by Mr. F. J. Cresswell, which weighed 10 lb. ; larger ones have been caught, but Mr. Day says a fish of this size is a fine example. Sir Thomas Browne, in his list, mentions ' the basse, much resembling a flatter kind of cod.' 4. Maigre. Sciana aquila, Lac^p.
- A specimen taken off Sherringham in 1 84 1
is in the Norwich Museum.' — J. H. G. Another, ' rather over 5 feet long, and weighing 84 lb., came ashore at Thorpe, near Aldborough, August 30th, 1868.' — Vide Hele's Aldborough, p. 182. The third Norfolk specimen of this rare fish is recorded in the Times of November 1st, 1875, by Mr. Tregellas of Brompton, as having been caught near Yarmouth. It was 4 feet 9 inches long, and weighed 75 lb. 'It is in the possession of Mr. Charles, Arabella Row, Pimlico.' 5. Common Sea Bream. Pagellus centrodontus, Delaroche. ' A fine example was taken in a draw-net off Yarmouth Beach, ist April, 1868. This species is seldom captured.' — A. P. Two others have been recorded in Norfolk. vicum alluens in Baradenum estuarium at Hieri (Hiermouth = Yarmouth) oppidum turn piscatu turn portu celebre illabitur frequens est. Nostri RufFum vocant, quod cum Latini asperum significat aspredinem piscem nominavimus.' — Caius : De Rariorum AnimaUum, etc., 1570. Spenser, in his Faerie Queene, book iv. canto xi. stanza 33, writes : —
- Him followed Tar^ soft washing Norwitch wall,
And with him brought a present joyfully Of his owne fish unto their festivall Whose like none else could show, the which they Ruffim call.' And Sir Thomas Browne speaks of the Aspreda perca minor, and, probably, cernua of Garden sic, commonly called a RufF, in great plenty in Nor- wich, and even in the stream of that city ; which, though Camden appropriates unto this city, yet they are also found in the rivers of Oxford and Cambridge. Mr. Lubbock speaks of it as being found in large shoals in Norfolk rivers. Paget mentions it as occurring in the rivers and broads. According to Day {British Fishes), the ruffe was first noticed and figured by Belonius, p. 1 3. 6. Axillary Bream. Pagellus oweni, GUnth. The late Mr. J. H. Gurney, writing in the Zoologist,^. 1555, says: 'The length of this specimen, which I received from the Rev. A. Upcher yesterday, was 13} inches; in its greatest depth 4 inches ; and its weight I lb. 5^ oz. The colour, roseate and silvery, was brilliant when caught. It is preserved in the Norwich Museum.' I examined this fish at Mr. Gurney's request, and had not the slightest doubt that it was correctly named ; but the late Mr. Day, apparently without having had the specimen in his hands, declares {Fishes of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. i. p. 41) it to be P. erythronotus. At my re- quest, Mr. Southwell has re-examined it, and fully agrees that it is beyond doubt P. oweni {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, 1 894). Mr. Day is mistaken in supposing this to be P. centro- dontus {Fishes of Great Britain, vol. i. p. 43). 7. Red MuUett. Mullus harbatus, Linn. ; var. surmuletus, Linn. Though of less frequent occurrence at the present time than it was formerly. Sir James Paget, in his History of Yarmouth, states that in 1 83 1, in one week in May, 10,000 were sent to the London market. Mr. A. Patterson says : ' It is now very rare in Yarmouth ; one weighing barely 2 lb. was caught amongst others.' 8. Common or Ballan Wrasse. Labrus macu- la t us, Bloch. Yarmouth, April 15th, 1868. — Gunn. Lynn Roads, November 14th, 1869. — E. L. King. One, taken at Cley-next-the-Sea, on November nth, 1893, was sent to Mr. Southwell for identification by Mr. Pashley of Cley. 9. Green Wrasse. Labrus mixtus, Linn. A specimen in the Wisbeach Museum was, I am informed by Mr. Foster, the curator, captured in the Norfolk Estuary in 1850. Mr. Cresswell has once taken this fish off Hunstanton. 10. Bergylt. Roche. Scorpiena dactyloptera, De la This was in error identified as Sc. norwegica, but Mr. Southwell has since corrected it as 5f. dactyloptera. It was first taken off Lowes- toft, and came into Mr. Patterson's hands, by whom it was submitted to Mr. Southwell. It was 8 inches in length. A second speci- men was captured at Yarmouth on April 29th, 1894. This was only 5| inches long. — The Zoologist, 1894, p. 430. 201