Volume 9 - Electric Scotland

FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH AND ITS TRIBUTARIES 209
LIPARIS MONTAGUI (Donovaii).
EAGLE CLARKE, "Ann. Scot. Nat Hist.," 1900, p. n.
Montagu's Sucker was, I believe, first recorded for the Firth of
Forth in the year 1890, when several immature and post-larval
specimens were captured by the " Garland "
(MTntosh, " Rep. Fish.
Board Scot.," 1889, part
iii.
pp. 288, 336, 337).
Since 1890, a number of specimens, chiefly of similar age, were
taken by the " Garland," both at the surface and on the bottom, at
the various stations in the Firth. Four miles east of the Isle of
May, a specimen, 3 mm., was taken in the 10 fathom tow -net,
and one 9 mm. in the bottom net, on nth May 1891.
LABRUS MIXTUS, Linnceus.
Labrus carneus, PARNELL, pp. 255-259.
" Dr. Neill has recorded it
in the ' Wernerian Transactions ' [i. p. 538] as found in the Firth
of Forth. In this locality it is
undoubtedly a rare fish, as not
a single specimen has occurred to me from that quarter "
(P- 259).
To this I can only add a single record one that I should like
to see confirmed.
The late Mr. Robert Gray ("Zoologist," 1849, P- 2 5 J S) says
" that the ballan wrasse (Labrus maculatus), and the red or trima-
"
culated wrasse (L. carneus} are " common in some localities near
the shore " at Dunbar.
GADUS MINUTUS, Linncei/s.
EAGLE CLARKE, "Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist.," 1900, pp. 13-14.
Though not an abundant species in the Firth, yet the Power
Cod cannot be considered a rarity. In his " Resources of the
Sea," Professor M'Intosh indicates (Table XI.) that sixty-six mature
examples were obtained by the " Garland," in the decade 1886-1895.
MERLUCCIUS VULGARIS (Cuvier) [MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS (Z.)].
PARNELL, pp. 350-352. "About two years ago, a single specimen
was taken in a stake-net near Musselburgh, and sent to the
Edinburgh market, where it
appeared to be unknown " (p. 351).
The Hake is evidently an uncommon fish in the Firth. During
the eleven years' trawling experiments conducted on board the
" Garland," thirty-two examples only were captured, seven of which
were immature. They were captured in all parts of the Firth below
Inchkeith, and at all seasons of the year. The largest of these
was 40 inches in length, and was taken at Station 5,
on the 3oth
May 1893.
36 C