A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK indicated in the structure of its otoliths ; the latter are calcareous bodies of flattened oval shape contained in the cavities of the ears, and they increase in size by the addition of new deposits on the surface. The successive layers deposited in successive years can be distinguished by differences of transparency in the deposits of different seasons, and so the number of years in the age of the fish can be ascertained. Other calcareous structures of fishes show similar annual rings, for instance the scales and the bones, but usually they are less distinct than the rings of the otoliths. An asterisk prefixed to a name denotes a fresh-water species ; two asterisks indicate occurrence in both fresh and salt water. TELEOSTEANS ACANTHOPTERYGII
- i. Perch. Perca fiuvlatillsy Linn.
Common in the rivers and in Oulton Broad.
- 2. Sea Bass. Morone labrax^ Linn. [Labrax
lupus. Day). Doubtless occurs occasionally off the coast and in the estuaries, but only as a summer visitor. Has been taken on the Norfolk coast.
- 3. Ruff or Pope, Acerina c^rntttf, Linn.
Not so common as in Norfolk. 4. Shade-fish. Sctaena aqu'tla, Lac^p. A specimen over 5 ft. in length and weighing 84 lb. is recorded by Hele to have come ashore at Thorpe near Aldeburgh in August 1868.^ Another specimen was taken near Yarmouth in November 1875, as recorded by Mr. Tregelles of Brompton in the Times of I November of that year. It was 4 ft. 9 in. in length and weighed 75 lb. 5. Common Sea-bream. Pagellus centrodontus, De la Roche. Probably occurs occasionally but rarely ; has been recorded for Norfolk. 6. Gilt-head. Pagrus auratus, Linn. Very rare : a specimen recorded at Pakefield by R. Leathes in April 1829.^ 7. Scorpaena dactylopterOy De la Roche. A specimen sfin. in length taken off Yar- mouth by a shrimper obtained by Mr. A. Pater- son 29 April 1894 is recorded in Lowe's third list under the name Sebastes norvegicus. In the fourth list this specimen is identified as Scor- paena dactyloptera, and Mr. Paterson saw a second specimen at Lowestoft in December 1895 which measured 8 in. ' Notes and Jottings^hout Aldehurgh. 'Lowe, Tisbes o/Norf. 8. Red Mullet. Mullus barbatus, var. surmul/etus, Linn. Occurs occasionally. In Paget's Natural Histtry of Tarmouth it is stated that 10,000 were sent in one week in May 1831 to the London market. Mr. Gurney believed that the red mul- let of the eastern coa?t were plain red mullet, but this seems unlikely, and Lowe considers that the plain variety occurs but rarely ; it has not been proved to occur at all. 9. Ballan Wrasse. Labrus maculatus, Bloch. A young specimen about 8 in. long was taken with hook and line in the Lowestoft in August 1852. outer harbour of 10. Cook or Cuckoo Wrasse. Labrus mixtus, Linn. A specimen under the name L. larvatus is recorded by Lowe,' probably from Norfolk.
- ii. Miller's Thumb. Coitus goblo, h'mn.
Occurs in the Yare, probably also in the Wa- veney and other rivers. 12. Father-lasher, Short-spined Bull-head. Cottus scorpius, Linn. Common on the coast. 13. Long-spined Bull-head. Cottus bubalis, Euphr. Probably occurs. 14. Grey Gurnard. Trigla gurnarduSy hinn. Common on the Lowestoft trawling grounds ; numbers are landed in the trawl market. The grey gurnard in its young stages, when under 9 in. in length is of a uniform reddish colour without spots, but not so bright a red as Trigla cuculus. In its adult condition it has bright yel- low spots. 164 ^ Prcc. Zool. Sec. 1859, P- *49'
