A HISTORY OF NORFOLK ' Ascellus Sir T. ' A small one, in draw-net, May 9th, 1898.' —A. P. 51. Coal-fish. Gadus vlrem, Linn. Yarmouth: 'plentiful.' — P. niger, carbonarius, or coal-fish, Browne. A large one, caught in the Norfolk Estu- ary, in 1845, is in the Wisbeach Museum. The Rev. B. W. Dowell has frequently taken them with the line in Blakeney Har- bour. 52. Whiting. Gadus merlangus, Linn. Norfolk Estuary : plentiful. Yarmouth. —P. ' The whiting on the coasts ot Norfolk and Suffolk, only attain about two-thirds the size of those on the Devonshire coast.' — J. H. G. ^Ascellus albus, or whitings, in great plenty.' — Sir T. Browne. 'Yarmouth, March 29th, 1891 ; the larg- est on record. It weighed "j^ lb.' — A. P. 53. Pollack. Gadus pollachius, Linn. ' Numbers of this species at Yarmouth every spring. They take a bait freely, and are locally known as " Pinnikin Coles." ' — A. P. This fish has not been previously recorded in Norfolk. Large ones are rarely taken by cod-liners {Tram. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. v. p. 229). 54. Hake. Merluccius vulgaris, Cuv. 'In February, 1847, a hake, about 30 inches long, was caught off Sherringham.' — J. H. G. 55. Ling. Molva vulgaris, Flem. Norfolk Estuary : common, but not of large size. Yarmouth. — P. In the U Estrange Household Book frequent mention is made of this species, e.g. 2 Hen. VIII. 1519 : 'Item. — P^- for halfe a hundred Lynge x"*- Item. — For carryinge of ye same Lynge fr. ye Bulle to ye comon Stathe, iiij"'-'
- 56. Burbolt. Lota vulgaris, Cuv.
Yare, Bure and Waveney. ' It penetrates almost to the sources of the rivers. I have known many caught, and some two or three pounds in weight, from the small streams which unite to form the Thet.' — Lubbock's Fauna of Norfolk. ' One in Norwich Museum taken near Shropham.'— 7. H. G. Sir T. Browne mentions it : ' To be had in the Norwich river, and between it and Yarmouth, as also in the rivers of Marshland.' Mr. Norman, of Yarmouth, caught one 2 lb. 2 oz. in weight, near Berney Arms Cement Works. 57. Five-bearded Rockling. Linn. Motella mu stela, 1870 ; 206 ' Norfolk Estuary, two, August, September, 1871.' — Dr. Plowright. Yarmouth. — P. ' A very small specimen taken December 17th, 1821.' 'Abundant at Cromer among stones at low water.' — f. H. G. 58. Three-bearded Rockling. Motella tricir- rata, Bloch. Norfolk Estuary. — Dr. Plowright. Sherringham. — f. H. G. One at Northrepps, December 24th, 1833. — Miss Gurney's Diary. Yarmouth. — A. P. {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, 1890-91). 59. Four-bearded Rockling. Motella cimbria, Linn. ' A specimen of this species, which is new to the Norfolk fauna, was found among the refuse of draw-nets, on Yarmouth beach. May 23rd, 1889.' — A. P. Subsequent speci- mens were verified by Mr. Southwell {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. V. p. 229). 60. Lesser Fork-beard. Raniceps raninus, Linn. Norfolk Estuary. — Dr. Plowright. Sherringham, January 29th, 1846. — Rev. E. W. Dowell {Zoologist, 1864). 'One of the rarest British species.' — Tarrell, vol. ii. p. 293. Yarmouth : two, 1891. — A. P. {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. V. 234). 'Two taken off Cromer, December, 1836.' — Miss Gurney's Diary {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. ii. p. 21). 61. Holibut. Hippoglossus vulgaris, Flem. Norfolk Estuary. Yarmouth. — P. 'The Norwich papers of February 15th, 1873, record the exhibition in Norwich fish market of a holibut taken off Yarmouth. It measured 5 feet 4 inches long, 2 feet 6 inches broad, 9 inches thick, and weighed 7^ st.' — J. H. G. 62. Long Rough Dab. Hippoglossoides liman- doides, Bloch. 'A fine specimen, 16 inches long, was ob- tained from a Yarmouth fishmonger. It was taken off the Norfolk coast, January i8th, 1 891.' — A. P. {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. v. p. 229). It is new to the Norfolk fauna. ' It is not unfrequently seen in the fish markets.' ' One 8^ inches at Yarmouth, March 1 6th, 1897.' — A. P. {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. vi. P- 3)-
