A HISTORY OF ESSEX 109. Conger. Conger vulgaris, Cuv. Taken occasionally. One of 40 Ib. weight is recorded (Essex Standard, Jan. 31, 1885) as having been picked up on the beach at Clacton- on-Sea. Day, quoting Donovan, says (Fishes of Great Britain, ii. 253) one of 130 Ib. weight was captured at the Nore. In the Zoologist (1869, p. 1520) a record is given of several which were caught in the Thames as high as Woolwich. GANOIDS HO. Sturgeon. Aclpenser sturio, Linn. Is occasionally taken in all our rivers, but it is rare. When captured in the Thames, within the jurisdiction of the City of London, it is usually judged a proper present for the Lord Mayor's table. The capture of a sturgeon, weighing 131 Ib., in the Blackwater river near Beeleigh Mills, Maldon, is noted as a re- markable circumstance (Donovan, British Fishes, vol. iii. pi. Ixv.). Mr. E. A. Fitch records the capture of two very large sturgeons in the Blackwater on May 9, 1886, and May 15, 1890. The latter, which weighed 212 Ib. and measured 7 feet 1 1 inches in length, went eventually to Sweetings in Cheapside (Ettae Naturalist, iv. 1 20). Others are mentioned (Zoologist, 1879, p. 383; 1883, p. 341). CHONDROPTERYGIANS in. Toper or Sweet William. Galeus vul- garis, Flem. This shark is but rarely taken on our coast. One caught by trawling in the Wallet on October 23, 1886, was thought by its captor of sufficient rarity to make it worth exhibit- ing in the town of Colchester. The capture of one below Brightlingsea, 4 ft. 9 in. long, in a shrimp trawl, and another, 5 ft. 6 in. long, at Clacton are noted in the Essex Naturalist, ii. 137, 236. These were both females. 112. Porbeagle. Lamna cornubica, Gmel. A specimen of this shark was captured near the coast in 1874. It measured 8 ft. 2 in. long (Land and Water, 1874^.285). Another captured off Harwich measured nearly 10 ft. in length (Essex Naturalist, vi. 154). Several others have been taken since. 113. Picked Dogfish. Acanthias vulgaris, Risso. This voracious fish is always much too common, and in some years especially so, on all our coasts. 114. Angel or Monk-fish. Rhina squatina, Linn. Frequent on all the coasts of Essex. 115. Skate. Raia bails, Linn. Very common on all our sandy shores. The small ones are called maids. 1 1 6. Thornback. Raia clavata, Linn. This is also very common. 117. Sharp-nosed Skate. Raia alba, Lacp. Lindsey says (A Season at Harwich, pt. 2, p. 98) the French, who are great con- sumers of skate, this species being their favourite, would come to Harwich for this fish if greater encouragenjent were given to the fishery. As it is they go to Plymouth and purchase large quantities during the sea- son of Lent. 1 1 8. Sting Ray. Trygon pastinaca, Linn. It is frequently taken in the channels between the sands if one may judge from the number of needles made from the spines upon its tail that are to be seen in the posses- sion of fishermen, who use them for stringing flat fish together through the gills for the convenience of carriage. CYCLOSTOMES
- 119. Sea Lamprey. Petromyzon marinus,
Linn. This is captured occasionally in the mouths of all our rivers. In Essex Naturalist, v. 134 is recorded the capture of two in the Colne. Day (Fishes of Great Britain, ii. 358) gives for their habitat the mouth of the Thames. 228
