FISHES 63. Turbot. Rhombus maximusy Linn. Norfolk Estuary. Yarmouth. — P. This and the following species are men- tioned by Sir T. Browne : ' The great rhom- bus or turbot, aculeatm et /evis.' In the UEstrange Household Book, A.D. 1519 : 'Item. — A fresh turbutt, ij'. iiij"*.' 'One with white under face, notched in the usual place. The travelling eye in the notch opened both sides. Saw it May 24th, 1898.'—./. P. 64. Brill. Rhombus lavis, Linn. Norfolk Estuary : common. Yarmouth, —P. UEstrange Household Book : * Item, — Paid to John Syft for a brattcocke, viij.' Sir T. Browne refers to this in the following distich (M. S. Sloan, 1784) with the explanatory note : — ' Of wry-mouthed fish ! give me the left side black,i Except the sole,^ which hath the noblest smack.' Mr. Gurney informs me that ' from thirty to forty years ago a flat fish was commonly caught about Wells, which was locally called a " bradcock " ; but I have not been able to ascertain its scientific name.' The term is still used here with reference to the brill. 'February 13th, 1892, a perfect albino of this species was brought into Yarmouth. Both sides were white, the extreme edge of the fins merging into yellowish grey. Length, 1 5 inches.' — A. P. {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. v, p. 326), 65. Common Topknot. Zeugopterus punctatus, Bloch. 'A specimen, 7^ inches in length, by 4^ inches in width, was brought by a shrimper, June nth, 1890. This, the first observed Norfolk specimen, is now in the Norwich Museum.' — A. P. {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. v. p. 229). 'Another specimen, the second, 6^ inches long, and ^k inches wide, was taken off Smith's Knowle, March 4th, 1894. One, on January 20th, 1896 ; two, January 17th; and five, February 3rd, 1898.' — A. P. seen. It is hitherto unrecorded as a Norfolk species, ' A small specimen, about 5 inches long, was taken in the shrimp-nets at Yarmouth, May 3rd, 1893.* — A. P. This is the second recorded in Norfolk. 67, Plaice, Pleuronectes platessa, Linn, Common, Although not an extremely large fish, one, of which Mr. A. Patterson sends me a note, is worth recording. It weighed 10 lb. 12 oz., and was taken at Yarmouth, November 7 th, 1892. ' Item. — Paid for x plaices, iij*".' — UEs- trange Household Book. Abnormality {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, 1898, p. 408) worthy of mention.' — A. P. Lepidorhombus me- i8th, 1875.— i2. 66. Sail Fluke, Megrim. gastoma, Donov. Norfolk Estuary, June ElweSy Esq. This is the only specimen which I have
- As turbot, bret, bretcock, skulls.
- Which is black on the right side, as also butts,
sandaps, and flounders. 68 Pleuronectes Smear Dab, Lemon Dab. microcephalus, Donov. Norfolk Estuary. 69. Pole or Craig Fluke. Pleuronectes cyno- glossus, Linn. On February nth, 1892, Mr, A, Patter- son met with a specimen of this fish, which he forwarded to Dr. GOnther, who confirmed its identity. It measured 18 inches in length. Two others, which measured 8 and 10 inches, were sold on March 14th, 1892 {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. v. p. 324). Not previously recorded as a Norfolk fish. Two examples at Yarmouth : April 3rd, 1895, January 20th, 1896. The former in Cambridge Museum. — A. P. This fish, locally known as the ' witch,' is not unfrequently seen in the Yarmouth Fish Wharf. 70 Dab. Pleuronectes limanda, Linn. 71. Flounder, Pleuronectes flesus, Linn, Norfolk Estuary : common, Yarmouth, —P. Breydon, May 6th, 1893, 19 i inches and 17^ inches, by 10^ inches; weight, 3 lb. 4 oz. Another, 22 inches by 13J inches, November, 1892. — A. P. ' Small flounders occur in the Yare, as high up as the New Mills at Norwich, which is the first stoppage in the river to fish ascending from the sea,' — y. H. G. I have frequently seen specimens caught in the Ouse, which were aflFected with a peculiar skin disease resembling epithelioma — large fungous growths cropping out all over the body. The granulations large and roe-like — under microscope consisting of large nucleated cells. 207
