FISHES and which he takes to be a monstrosity of the basking shark {Selache maxima). 123. Porbeagle. Lamna cornubica, Gmel. Yarmouth. — P. Mundesley : ' A large specimen, the skull of which is in Norwich Museum.' — J. H. G. ' Yesterday a young porbeagle shark was found alive, stranded on Overstrand beach. It was 25^ inches long from snout to tail.' — J. H. G., in lit., November 12th, 1880 (T. In addition to four examples previously re- corded, Mr. Southwell tells of one he saw in Norwich market, and he has heard of several others. Mr. Patterson writes that one, taken at Yarmouth, September 30th, 1893, mea- sured 6 feet 6 inches in length. He also mentions a 7-foot specimen in Yarmouth fish-market, October 17th, 1891 {Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc.y vol. v. p. 326). ' Another at Yarmouth, September 26th, 1894 ; length, 9 feet.' — A. P. 124. Thrasher. Alopias vulpes, Gmel. Yarmouth. Mr. Gunn reports the capture of one by one of the crew of a lugger engaged in the mackerel fishery, July 4th, 1867. Its total length was 14 feet 5 inches ; girth below pectoral fin, 6 feet ; tail, from tip to root, 7 feet 4 inches. This species was first described by Dr. Caius from a specimen stranded between Lowestoft and Pakefield, in February, 1570. Vide De Canibus Britannicis, etc., lib. ii. ; De Rariorum Animalium, etc., p. 28. ' In Land and Water for November 22nd, 1884, mention is made of a thrasher shark which was caught off Palling by some long- shore herring-fishers, on October 2nd, 1884 ; it was said to measure 6 feet in the body, the tail also being 6 feet long.' — T. S. 125. Smooth Hound. Mustelus /avis, Flem. {M. vulgaris, Day). Norfolk Estuary. 1 26. Hammer Head. Zygana malleus, Risso. Only one is mentioned as having been taken at Yarmouth, November 24th, 1829. This is referred to in Messrs. Paget's list, and in Couch's British Fishes. The head and tail were presented to the Norwich Museum by Mr. Dawson Turner. 127. Tope. Galeus vulgaris, Flem. 'Yarmouth, 14 inches.' — A. P. Mr. Cresswell has caught large numbers with night lines, off Hunstanton. In the years 1872-73 he took more than a hundred. Forty-five were caught at one time, two of which, measuring over 5 feet long, he kindly sent to me for examination. All the females contained fully-developed young ones more than a foot in length. The season at which these take a bait is in June and early in July, after which time they cease to be caught. Their food at this time appears to consist chiefly of crabs and starfish.* 128. Blue Shark. Carcharias glaucus, LAnn, Yarmouth. — P. ' In the autumn.' — Pat- terson. I have no authentic record of this fish being taken in the Estuary, and suspect that the tope is sometimes mistaken for it. Thus, two specimens in the Wisbeach Museum, said to be blue sharks, are in reality topes. Mr. T. E. Gunn records one specimen stranded on the beach at Yarmouth, Decem- ber 19th, 1866, and gives the following measurements : total length, 5 feet 4 inches ; length of head, io| inches ; girth to first dorsal, i foot 7 inches. These might, in the absence of other characters, apply equally to the tope. 129. Picked Dogfish. Acanthias vulgaris, Risso. Norfolk Estuary. I have frequently met with small specimens of this species taken in trawl-nets, but have never been able to ob- serve those attempts at using its spines with such wonderful sagacity as Couch describes (p. 51). That they often inflict a wound when springing from the hand of their captor is not improbable ; but that it is done with intention, intuitive perception, and mathe- matical accuracy described by writers, is con- trary to all I have been able to ascertain by careful observation. 130. Greenland Shark. Lamargus microce- phalus, Bl. Schn. 'An immature specimen caught at Sherring- ham is in the Norwich Museum.' — J. H. G. 'A Greenland shark, 15 feet long, was captured in shallow water off Caistor, Great Yarmouth, on November nth, 1885. It was exhibited afterwards at Yarmouth. On January 2ist, 1892, another, 13 feet 2 inches long, was captured by some Lynn fishermen, and landed at the Purfleet Quay ; and on July 1 2th of the same year the Overstrand fisher- men captured yet another, which had got into shallow water. This last measured 10 feet in length, and, I believe, was purchased 1 Mr. Patterson sends me a note of a small one, 14 inches long, caught at Yarmouth. It is remark- able that so few of this species occur at Yarmouth, while they abound to such an extent in the Norfolk Estuary at Hunstanton. 15
