Although generally believed to be in the district, I have never met with any person who has caught specimens.

COBITIS BARBATULA.

Genus COBITIS.

Loach, Loche, or Beardie.

Taken in the Alt river; also in the Mersey and Dee.

Family ESOCIDE.

Genus ESOX.

Esox LUCIUS. The Pike, Pickerell, Jack, Luce.

In a large piece of water near Gayton Mill. Alt. Rivers and meres in Lan cashire.

Genus BELONE.

BELONE VULGARIS. The Garfish, Sea-pike, Mackerel Guide.

On the Wirral coast and off the Magazines, about the Mackerel season.

Family SALMONIDE.

Genus SALMO.

SALMO SALAR. The Salmon.

In the Dee, Mersey, and Alt rivers.

SALMO TRUTTA. The Salmon Trout.

Caught very rarely in the Alt.-Mr. Parke. Also in the Weaver.-Mr. Cooke. SALMO FARIO. The Common Trout.

Very rarely in the Alt. Streams which join the Mersey.

Genus OSMERUS.

OSMERUS EPERLANUS. Smelt. Sparling.

Mr. Cameron found many in the Mersey, in the channel between the Garston

Docks and the cast iron Church.

Genus THYMALLUS.

THYMALLUS VULGARIS. The Grayling.

Mr. Webster informs me that he has taken this species abundantly in the Dee.

Family CLUPEIDÆ.

Genus CLUPEA.

CLUPEA HARENGUS. The Herring.

Occasionally common.

CLUPEA SPRATTUS. The Sprat.

Common round the coast.

Genus ENGRAULIS.

ENGRAULIS ENCRASICOLUS. The Anchovy.

Fine specimens taken occasionally in the Dee and about the coast.

SUB-BRACHIAL MALACOPTERYGII.

MORRHUA VULGARIS.

Family GADIDÆ.

Genus MORRHUA.

The Common Cod.

At times abundant about the Dee and north of Wirral. More rarely in the

Mersey.

MORRHUA EGLEFINUS. The Haddock.

Common.

MORRHUA LUSCA. The Bib, Pout, or Whiting-pot.

Very frequent. The Hoylake fishermen apply the name of "Miller's Thumb" both to this species and the Pogge.

MORRHUA MINUTA. The Power, or Poor Cod.

Very abundant early in August this year, (1854,) as many as five or six having been seen in a single pool at ebb-tide. They have since increased greatly in numbers, poor persons gathering them in sufficient quantities for food. I have seen them also at Hilbre Island.

Genus MERLANGUS.

MERLANGUS VULGARIS. The Whiting.

Common.

MERLANGUS POLLACHIUS. The Pollack.

Caught, but not frequently, by the Hoylake fishermen.

Genus MERLUCIUS.

MERLUCIUS VULGARIS. The Hake.

Taken occasionally.

Genus LOTA.

LOTA MOLVA. The Ling.

About the coast. Rocks at Runcorn.-Mr. N. Cooke.

LOTA VULGARIS. The Burbot. Eelpout.

Caught in the Weaver.-Mr. N. Cooke.

Genus MOTELLA.

MOTELLA VULGARIS. The Three-bearded Rockling. Sea-loche. Whistle

Fish.

Pretty frequently caught; seen at times in rock pools at low water. Runcorn.— Mr. N. Cooke.

MOTELLA QUINQUECIRRATA. The Five-bearded Rockling.

Taken in the Mersey near Hale.-Mr. S. Archer. Specimens have been given to me occasionally by the Hoylake fishermen, but they are less common than the last species.

Family PLEURONECTIDE.

PLATESSA VULGARIS.

Genus PLATESSA.

The Plaice.

Very common on sandy and muddy ground.

Locally, “White Flook." Not so common: more frequent in brackish water and muddy bottoms. Mersey, Weaver, &c.

PLATESSA LIMANDA. Common Dab.

Pretty abundant, but not so common as Plaice. The fishermen call it "Garvin."

RHOMBUS LEVIS CORNUBICUS. Lemon Dab. Smooth Dab.

The least common of the flat fishes of the coast. Found in hard, rough ground. It is confined to salt water. Called locally, "Sweet Flook."

PLATESSA LIMANDOIDES. Long Rough Dab.

Locally, "Ganny Flook." Found in about equal numbers with the "Smooth Dab;" rare near the shore, more frequent in deep water.

Genus HIPPOGLOSSUS.

HIPPOGLOSSUS VULGARIS. The Holibut.

The Hoylake fishermen take one or two in a year.

RHOMBUS MAXIMUS.

Genus RHOMBUS.

The Turbot. Rawn Flook.

Caught rarely near the land, but frequently at a distance from shore. RHOMBUS VULGARIS. The Brill. Bret.

Two or three given to me in 1851, but the fisherman was not sure of the locality. RHOMBUS MEGASTOMA. The Whiff. The Carter.

I have had two specimens, caught between the Dee's mouth and the Lightship, in 1851 and in 1853.

RHOMBUS ARNOGLOSSUS. The Scaldfish. Megrim, or Smooth-sole. Young. One caught at the mouth of the Dee, 1852.

Genus SOLEA.

SOLEA VULGARIS. The Sole.

Very common.

SOLEA VARIEGATA. The Variegated Sole.

Mouth of the Dee, 1852. Specimens now and then.

Family CYCLOPTERIDE.

Genus CYCLOPTERUS.

CYCLOPTERUS LUMPUS. The Lump Sucker. Sea Owl, or Cock Paddle. At Hilbre Island occasionally, and most likely all round the coast where there are patches of rock. Caligus Mulleri" is parasitic upon it sometimes.

Genus LIPARIS.

LIPARIS VULGARIS. The Unctuous Sucker, or Sea Snail.

Very often taken in shrimp nets, and occasionally in pools at ebb tide.

APODAL MALACOPTERYGII,

Family MURÆNIDE.

ANGUILLA ACUTIROSTRIS.

Genus ANGUILLA.

The Sharp-nosed Eel.

Common in ponds and streams.

ANGUILLA LATIROSTRIS. The Broad-nosed Eel.

In the same situations as the last species, but less common.

Genus CONGER.

CONGER VULGARIS. The Conger.

Under ledges of rock in the Dee, Mersey, and elsewhere.

Genus LEPTOCEPHALUS

LEPTOCEPHALUS MORRISII. The Anglesey Morris.

Mr. Studley Martin described a fish which he had taken at the Dingle but did not preserve, it appeared to tally exactly with Mr. Yarrell's account of this species. On referring Mr. M. to the figure and description in “ British Fishes," he at once recognised the species as that which he had found.

Dee and north of Wirral. Formby.-Mr. Cameron. SYGNATHUS EQUOREUS. Equoreal Pipe-fish.

In the Dee, but not common.

Before making any record of the fishes of the coast I had seen one of the smaller species, which was probably "Typhle."

CHONDROPTERYGII.

Family STURIONIDE.

Genus ACIPENSER.

ACIPENSER STURIO. The Common Sturgeon.

Rare captures at the north of Wirral and in the Mersey.

SCYLLIUM CANICULA.

Family SQUALIDE.

Genus SCYLLIUM.

The Small Spotted Dog-fish.

Frequently taken, to the fishermens' disappointment, upon the lines which are set for cod.

SQUATINA ANGELUS. The Angel-fish. Monk-fish.
One thrown ashore after a storm.-Mr. Price.

Family RAIIDE.

Genus TORPEDO.

TORPEDO NOBILIANA. The New British Torpedo.

A specimen, which is stuffed and now in the Royal Institution Museum, was given to me in the summer of 1853, by one of the Hoylake fishermen.

Genus RAIA.

RAIA BATIS. The Skate. Blue Skate.

This is the largest sized species, and the most esteemed for food about our coast. Very common, especially in winter, at the back of West Hoyle, and over the North Banks. Called locally "Blueit."

RAIA MARGINATA. The Bordered Ray.

Liverpool is named as a locality for this fish in "Yarrell's British Fishes," Vol. 2, p. 564. The fishermen who have seen the figure, say that they have noticed this specimen but very rarely.

RAIA MIRALETUS. The Homelyn Ray. Spotted Ray.

Not unfrequently brought in by the Hoylake men, taken about the entrance of the Dee and at the north of Wirral.

RAIA CLAVATA. The Thornback.

Very common. Last year two immense specimens of Ray, the largest being nearly eight feet long and almost as broad, were taken at Hoylake. The skin was uniformly roughened by very small spines, having stellated bases. From an examination of a portion of the skin which was sent to Mr. Yarrell, that gentleman formed the opinion that it might belong to a female of "Clavata." The fishermen, who constantly catch Maiden Ray of smaller size, are strongly of opinion as to their being distinct from any of their ordinary captures, and the outline of the fish certainly corresponded more with one of the sharp nosed species. The under surface was whitish, with numerous mucous pores surrounded by dark spots. I should have been more particular in noticing details, had the fish been sent which was promised me. Besides the species already named, the fishermen, when they have been shewn separately Yarrell's figures, invariably have fixed upon "Oxyrynchus,” which they call "Bilner Ray," and "Spinosa," as having been taken, but very rarely.

Genus TRYGON.

TRYGON PASTINACA. Sting Ray. Trygon.
One caught near Hilbre, was given to me, 1851.

Fire-flaire.

Taken a few times, but rare.