resemblance it hath [from _crossed out_] of a crescent in the extreme
part of the body from one finne unto another one being taken neere the
shoare at yarmouth before breake of day seemed to shiuer & grunt like an
hogge as Authors deliuer of it the flesh being hard & neruous it is not
like to afford a good dish butt from the Liuer wch is [white _crossed
out_] large white & tender somewhat [wee _crossed out_] may bee expected
[for _crossed out_] the gills of these fishes wee found thick beset with
a kind of sealowse. [Added subsequently] in the yeare 1667 a mola was
taken at monsley wch weighed 2 [p _crossed out_] hundred pound.
[58] This fish (_Orthagoriscus mola_), which we know as the
Sun-fish, has been repeatedly taken here. For an account of its
parasites see Cobbold on the "Sun-fish as a host," "Intellectual
Observer," ii., p. 82; also Day, "Brit. Fishes," ii., p. 275.
According to Dr. Spencer Cobbold the Sun-fish is infested by nine
species of Helminths, three of which are mostly found attached to
the gills, while a fourth adheres to the surface of the body.
The Rana piscatrix or frogge fish[59] is sometimes found in a very large
magnitude & wee haue taken the [paynes _crossed out_] care [_written
above_] to haue them clend & stuffed. wherein wee obserued all the
appendices whereby the[y] cach fishes butt much larger then are
discribed in the Icons of Johnstonus tab xi fig 8.
[59] Both this species and the Wolf-fish are well known upon our
coast.
[_Fol. 26_] The sea [wollf _crossed out_] wolf or Lupus nostras of
Schoneueldus remarkable for its spotted skinne & notable teeth incisors
Dogteeth & grinders the dogteeth [in the _crossed out_] both in the
jawes & palate scarce answerable by any fish of that bulk for [strength
_crossed out_] the like disposure strength & soliditie.
Mustela marina[60] called by some a wesell ling wch salted & dryed
becomes a good Lenten dish.
[60] Some member of the family _Gadidae_ is here referred to,
probably the five-bearded Rockling, _Motella mustela_, or Brown
Whistle-fish of Pennant, which is occasionally taken by our
fishermen, but is by no means common.
A Lump or Lumpus Anglorum so named by Aldrouandus by some esteemed a
festiuall dish though it affordeth butt a glutinous jellie & the skinne
is beset with stony knobs after no certaine order ours most answereth
the first figure in the xiii table of Johnstonus butt seemes more round
& arcuated then that figure makes it.
Before the herrings there co[=m]only cometh a fish about a foot long by
the fish man called an horse[61] resembling in all poynts the Trachurus
of Rondeletius of a mixed shape between a mackerell & an herring.
obseruable from [an oblique bo _crossed out_] its greene eyes rarely
skye colored back after it is kept a day & an oblique bony line running
on ye outside from the gills vnto ye tayle. a drye & hard dish butt
makes an handsome picture.
[61] This is the Horse Mackerel, or Scad, _Caranx trachurus_; a
handsome fish and common enough, especially off Sheringham, but not
much esteemed for the table.
The Rubelliones or Rochets[62] butt thinly met with on this coast. the
gornart cuculus or Lyrae species more often wch they seldome eat butt
bending the back & sprdding the finnes into a liuely posture do hang
them up in their howses.
[62] Fish of the Gurnard kind are here referred to. The Rochet of
Pennant is the Red Gurnard, _Trigla cuculus_; he calls _T. lyra_
the Piper. Large numbers of various species of Gurnard are brought
in by our trawlers and sell readily, especially the Sapphirine
Gurnard, or Tub-fish (_T. hirundo_), which is known as the "Lachet"
on our coast; it reaches a large size, and seems to be much in
demand for the table. In spring the colours are very brilliant, and
they are frequently seen on the fish stalls with their pectoral
fins extended as Browne describes.
[_Fol. 27._] Beside the co[=m]on mullus[63] or mullet there is another
not vnfrequent wch some call a cunny fish butt rather a red muellett of
a flosculous redde & somewhat rough on the scales answering the
discription of [Rond _crossed out_] Icon of Rondeletius vnder the name
of mullus ruber asper [no _crossed out_] butt not the tast of the
vsually knowne mullet as [being butt _crossed out_] affording butt a
drye & leane bitt.
[63] The Common Mullet I take to be the Grey Mullet (_Mugil
capito_), which is at times plentiful on our coast, coming into
Breydon and the mouths of the rivers, but the Red Mullet (_Mullus
barbatus_) is far less frequently met with. In his third letter to
Merrett, Browne says, "There is of them _maior_ and _minor_," the
latter probably being the variety known as the Surmullet, by far
the most frequently met with here.
Seuerall sorts of fishes[64] there are wch [bear _crossed out_] do
[_written above_] or may beare the names of seawoodcocks as the Acus
maior scolopax & saurus. the saurus wee sometimes meet with yonge.
Rondeletius confesseth it a very rare fish somewhat resembling the Acus
or needlefish before & a makerell behind. wee have kept one dryed many
yeares agoe.
[64] The Saurus of Rondeletius appears to be the Skipper or
Saury-pike (_Scombresox saurus_) of modern authors. _Acus major_ is
the Gar-fish or Greenback (_Belone vulgaris_); this is the _Acus
primus_ of Rondeletius, Dr. Harmer has been good enough to send me
the following note on Rondeletius's figures:--"_De Acus secunda
specie_" (lib. viii. p. 229). "Two species are figured; the upper
figure appears to represent _Siphonostoma typhle_, and the lower
one _S. acus_. Guenther ('Brit. Mus. Cat.,' viii. p. 157) gives a
reference to Rondeletius in his synonyms of _S. acer_ without
indicating that the latter figures two species. Under _S. typhle_
(p. 154) he gives the synonym _Syngnathus rondeletii_, De la Roche.
A reference to Delaroche ('Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris,' xiii, 1809
p. 324, Pl. xxi. fig. 5) shows that _S. rondeletii_ is identified
with the first figure on p. 229 of Rondeletius; and it may thus be
concluded that Guenther agrees with this conclusion. It seems
therefore probable that Browne's Acus of Aristotle refers to _S.
typhle_."
The Acus maior calld by some a garfish & greenback answering ye figure
of Rondeletius under the name of Acus prima species remarkable for its
quadrangular figure and verdigreece green back bone.
[L] A lesser sort of Acus [wee _crossed out_] maior or primae specaeei wee
meet with [answering the saurus of Rondeletius _crossed out_] much
shorter then the co[=m]on garfish & in taking out the spine wee found it
not green as in the greater & much answering the saurus of Rondeletius.
[L] This and the next paragraph on the back of Fol. 26 are in
different ink and smaller writing though in the same hand, and
appear to have been added subsequently. The first paragraph is
omitted by Wilkin.
A scolopax[65] or sea woodcock of Rondeletius was giuen mee by a seaman
of these seas. about 3 inches long & seemes to bee one kind of Acus or
needlefish answering the discription of Rondeletius.
[65] The Scolopax, or Sea Woodcock, is clearly _Centriscus
scolopax_, a very rare fish in the British seas, and it would have
been well had Browne given a more precise account of the origin of
his specimen.
The Acus of Aristotle [_see Note 64_] lesser thinner corticated &
sexangular by diuers calld an addercock & somewhat resembling a snake
ours more plainly finned then Rondeletius discribeth it.
A little corticated fish[66] about [4 inches _crossed out_] 3 or 4
inches long [_several words smeared out_] ours answering that wch is
named piscis octangularis by wormius, cataphractus by Schoneueldeus.
octagonius versus caput, versus caudam hexagonius.
[66] Doubtless the Armed Bull-head, or Pogge, _Agonus
cataphractus_. A MS. note in Berkenhout says it was called at
Lowestoft a Beetle-head (1769).
[_Fol. 28._] The faber marinus[67] sometimes found very large answering
ye figure of Rondeletius. which though hee mentioneth as a rare fish &
to be found in the Atlantick & Gaditane ocean yet wee often meet with it
in these seas co[=m]only calld a peterfish hauing [a _crossed out_] one
[_written above_] black spot on ether side the body conceued the
perpetuall signature from the impression of St Peters fingers or to
resemble the 2 peeces of money wch St Peter tooke out of this fish
remarkable also from its disproportionable mouth & many hard prickles
about other parts.
[67] _Zeus faber_, the Dory. Many, usually small ones, are brought
in by our fishermen.
A kind of scorpius marinus[68] a rough prickly & monstrous headed fish 6
8 or 12 inches long answerable vnto the figure of Schoneueldeus.
[68] _Cottus scorpius_, Father Lasher, commonly taken by the
shrimpers.
A sting fish[69] wiuer or kind of ophidion or Araneus slender, narrowe
headed about 4 inches long wth a sharpe small prickly finne along the
back which often venemously pricketh the hands of fishermen.
[69] Probably from its size the Lesser Weever, _Trachinus vipera_,
as also the _Draco minor_ of Jonstoni. A common fish in our waters.
Large numbers of the Greater Weever, _T. draco_, are brought in by
the trawlers.
Aphia cobites marina[70] or sea Loche.
[70] One of the Gobies. Day, "Brit. Fishes," i., p. 169, supposes
the _Aphya cobites_ of Rondeletius (p. 20) to be the White Goby,
_A. pellucida_; Pennant has _A. cobites_ as a synonym for the
Spotted Goby (_G. minutus_) and the Sea Gudgeons, Black Gobies (_G.
niger_), but at that time there was no very nice distinction of the
members of this genus. The Sea Miller's Thumb is probably the
Shanny (_Blennius pholis_). _Alosa_, is the Allis Shad (_Culpea
alosa_, L.), not uncommon (_see Note 74_).
Blennus a sea millars thumb.
Funduli marini sea gogions.
Alosae or chads to bee met with about Lynne.
Spinachus or smelt[71] in greatest plentie about Lynne butt [co[=m]on on
yarmouth coast _crossed out_] where they haue also a small fish calld a
primme answering in [all _crossed out_] tast & shape a smelt & perhaps
are butt the yonger sort thereof.
[71] The Smelt, _Osmerus eperlanus_, is abundant in the shallow
waters and estuaries on the Norfolk coast in spring, ascending the
fresh-water rivers to spawn. The small fish called a Primme by
Browne, may be the Atherine (_Atherina presbyter_), which is also
found in our waters, where it is often mistaken for the Smelt, but
I have not heard it called by the former name.
[_Fol 29._] Aselli or cods of seuerall sorts. Asellus albus or whitings
in great plentie. Asellus niger carbonarius or [col _crossed out_] coale
fish. Asellus minor Schoneueldei callarias pliny or Haydocks with many
more also a weed fish somewhat like an haydock butt larger & dryer meat.
A Basse also much resembling a flatter kind of Cod.[72]
[72] The first three fishes named in this paragraph need no
comment; the Weed-fish is doubtless a local name, but for what
species I cannot discover. The Bass, _Labrax lupus_ (Cuv.), is, as
might be expected from the nature of our coast, by no means common
here.
Scombri are makerells[73] in greate plentie a dish much desired butt if
as Rondeletius affirmeth they feed upon sea starres & squalders (_see
Note 90_) there may bee some doubt whether their flesh bee without some
ill qualitie sometimes they are of a very large size & one was taken
this yeare 1668 wch was by measure an ell long and of ye length of a
good salmon, at Lestoffe.
[73] The latter part of this paragraph, beginning, "Sometimes they
are of a very large size," is written on the left-hand side of the
opening, and is evidently a subsequent addition. One would be
inclined to think from the great size of the fish here recorded (3
ft. 9 in.), that it may have been a species of Tunny, or even a
Bonito, both of which have been taken on the Norfolk coast.
Seventeen inches is a large mackerel.
Herrings departed sprats or sardae not long after succeed in great
plentie wch are taken with smaller nets [& dryed _crossed out_] & smoakd
& dryed like herrings become a [daint _crossed out_] sapid bitt &
vendible abroad.
Among these are found Bleakes or bliccae[74] a thinne herring like fishe
wch some will also think to bee young herrings. And though the sea
aboundeth not with pilchards, yet they are co[=m]only taken among
herrings. butt few esteeme thereof or eat them.
[74] It is quite evident that the fish referred to here, and again
in the sixth letter to Merrett, is not the true Bleak (_Alburnus
lucideus_) of our freshwaters. It seems that the young of some
species of Clupeoid was thus known, for I find it stated in a MS.
note in a copy of Berkenhout's "Outlines of the Natural History of
Great Britain," (1769), in the possession of Mr. T. E. Gunn, that
the Bleak and the Sprat are often caught together in the sea at
Aldeburgh (Suffolk) in November, and the writer of the note adds,
"the Bleak is larger than the Sprat, its eyes are larger, and the
upper part of its belly serrated." I think from this description
and from Browne's remarks, that the young of a species of Shad must
have been mistaken for the Bleak, which although found low down in
our rivers almost to where the salt tide mingles with the fresh,
does not I believe enter the salt water.
Congers are not so co[=m]on on these coasts as on many seas about
England, butt are often found upon the north coast of Norfolk, & in
frostie wether left in pulks & plashes upon the ebbe of the sea.
[_Fol. 30._] The sand eels Anglorum of Aldrouandus, or Tobianus of
Schoneueldeus co[=m]only called smoulds taken out of the sea sands with
forks & rakes about Blakeney and Burnham a small round slender fish
about 3 or 4 inches long as bigge as a small Tobacco pipe a very dayntie
dish.
Pungitius marinus[75] or sea bansticle hauing a prickle one each side
the smallest fish of the sea about an inch long sometimes drawne ashoare
with netts together with weeds & pargaments[M] of the sea.
[75] The smallest of the genus _Gasterosteus_, or Stanstickles, is
_G. pungitius_, the ten-spined Stickleback, but this fish is two
inches long when full grown. All the species seem to be more or
less indifferent to the salinity of the water. The fifteen-spined
Stickleback, _G. spinachia_, is also sometimes taken by the
shrimpers, and is the most truly marine species, but is by no means
"the smallest fish of the sea."
[M] This word which Wilkin renders "fragments," is doubtless from
the Latin _pergamentum_, and it seems likely that Browne had in
view certain sea-weeds, possibly _Laminaria_ or _Ulva_ which,
especially when dry, present somewhat the appearance and texture of
parchment.
Many sorts of flat fishes[76] The pastinaca oxyrinchus with a long &
strong aculeus in the tayle conceuud of speciall venome & virtues.
[76] _Pastinaca oxyrinchus_ appears to be the Sting Ray (_Trygon
pastinaca_); _Raia clavata_, the Thornback; _R. oculata_, the
Spotted Ray (_R. maculata_); _R. aspera_; the Shagreen Ray? (_R.
fullonica_).
Severall sorts of Raia's skates & Thornebacks the Raia clauata
oxyrinchus, raia oculata, aspera, spinosa fullonica.
The great Rhombus or Turbot aculeatus & leuis.
The passer or place.
Butts of various kinds.
The passer squamosus Bret Bretcock[77] & skulls comparable in taste and
delicacy vnto the soale.
[77] The Brill, _Rhombus laevis_ (Lin.), _Passer asper squamosus___,
Rondl., formerly known as the Brett, Bretcock, Skull, or Pearl.
The Buglossus solea or soale[78] plana & oculata as also the Lingula or
small soale all in very great plentie.
[78] _Solea vulgaris_, the Common Sole. The "_Lingula_, or small
Sole," is probably the _Solea variegata_, Flem., the _S. parva sive
Lingula_ of Rond. Jonston figures "_Solea lingulata_," Tab. xx.,
fig. 12, but I am uncertain what species is intended. It is
possible that Browne may have Latinised the trade name by which
small Soles are known in the market as "slips" and "tongues." What
other species he may have wished to indicate as "plana" and
"oculata" it is difficult to determine.
Sometimes a fish aboue half a yard long like a butt[79] or soale called
asprage wch I haue known taken about Cromer.
[79] The "asprage" (or it may be "a sprage") may possibly be the
Dab, _Pleuranectes limanda_, which Rondeletius calls _Passer
asper_. I do not find that species mentioned otherwise, and a great
many are taken by the Cromer and Sheringham fishermen.
[_Fol. 31._] [See _Roller ante_ p. 30.]
[_Fol. 32._] Sepia or cuttle fish[80] [smear] & great plentie of the
bone or shellie substance which sustaineth the whole bulk of that soft
fishe found co[=m]only on the shoare.
[80] Of the various species of the Cephalopoda, _Sepia
officinalis_, is more often represented by its calcareous dorsal
plate than by the entire animal, for large numbers of these
"cuttle-bones" are sometimes strewed along the shore for miles. The
Squid, _Loligo vulgaris_, is often met with, sometimes of
considerable size. The horny "pen" resembles a short leaf-shaped
Roman sword, and Browne's term, "Gladiolus," is quite as
appropriate as that of "Calamus." His _Polypus_ is probably
_Octopus vulgaris_, but it is rarely met with on the Norfolk coast.
The Loligo sleue or calamar found often upon the shoare from head to
tayle [such _crossed out_] sometimes aboue an ell long, remarkable for
its parretlike bill, the gladiolus or calamus along the back & the
notable crystallyne of the eye wch equalleth if not exceedeth the lustre
of orientall pearle.
A polypus another kind of the mollia[N] sometimes wee haue met with.
[N] By _mollia_ is meant all soft-bodied shell-less animals.
Lobsters in great number about sheringham and cromer from whence all the
country is supplyed.
Astacus marinus pediculi [marini _written above_] facie[81] found also
in that place. with the aduantage of ye long foreclawes about 4 inches
long.
[81] Probably _Nephrops norvegicus_, the Norway Lobster, called at
Lowestoft a Crayfish or Prawn. They are sometimes brought in in
large numbers by the steam trawlers, but the precise locality in
which they are captured I am unable to say; the fishermen say the
"North Sea," which is rather a vague address, but others say
between the Texel and Heligoland.
Crabs large & well tasted found also in the same coast.
Another kind of crab[82] taken for cancer fluuiatilis litle slender & of
a very quick motion found in the Riuer running through yarmouth. [_added
subsequently_] & in bliburgh riuer.
[82] _Carsinus maenas_, the Shore-crab, a very common species on the
Norfolk coast is here intended.
[_Fol. 33._] Oysters exceeding large about Burnham and [Huns _crossed
out_] Hunstanton like those of poole St Mallowes or ciuita [vech
_crossed out_] vechia whereof [some _crossed out_] many are eaten rawe
the shells being broakin with [cle _crossed out_] cleuers the greater
part pickled & sent weekly to London & other parts.
Mituli or muscles in great quantitie as also chams or cochles about
stiskay [_sic_] & ye northwest coast.
Pectines pectunculi varij or scallops of the lesser sort.
Turbines or smaller wilks, leues, striati. as also Trochi, Trochili, or
scaloppes finely variegated & pearly. [as also _crossed out_.] Lewise
[_sic_] purpurae minores, nerites, cochleae, Tellinae.
Lepades, patellae Limpets, of an vniualue shell wherein an animal like a
snayle cleauing fast unto the rocks.
Solenes cappe lunge venetorum co[=m]only a razor fish the shell thereof
dentalia
[The MS. breaks off here, and the next paragraph appears to be an
interpolation.]
Dentalia by some called pinpaches because pinmeat thereof is taken out
with a pinne or needle.[83]
[83] Mussels and Cockles are very abundant all along the shallow
shores of North-west Norfolk, as well as Clams, _Mya arenaria_.
"Scallops of the lesser sort" are probably _Pecten opercularius_
and _P. varius_. The Whelk, _Buccinum undatum_, is also very
numerous, and forms the staple of a considerable industry at
Sheringham; the lesser, or Dog-Whelk, _Nassa reticulata_, as well
as _Purpura lapillus_ and several sorts of Trochus, are commonly
met with. The genus Nerita was a very comprehensive one in Browne's
time, and included many species of Littorina, of which the
well-known Periwinkle, _L. littorea_, is the most numerous here. No
true Nerita is now recognised as British, although in the warmer
seas the genus is a very numerous one. The most common Tellina here
is _T. tenuis_, _Lepades patellae_ are of course the common Limpet
(_Patella vulgata_), and of the Solen, or Razor Shell, which Gwyn
Jeffreys says in the time of Aldrovandus was called by the
Venetians "cappa longa," we have two species found on the sandy
portions of the coast. Here some confusion exists in the MS., after
the words, "the shell thereof dentalia," the note ends abruptly,
and is followed by an interpolation which seems quite irrelevant,
as Dentalia have surely never been called "Pin-patches" (the
vernacular name for _Littorina littorea_), nor is it probable that,
like that common univalve, they were ever taken out of their shells
with a pin or needle. _Dentalia_ are mentioned on two other
occasions as of doubtful occurrence and _Dentalium entalis_ has
slight claim to be a native of Norfolk; the only recorded specimen
I know of was picked up in 1890 by Mr. Mayfield, from the drift on
the beach between Wells and Holkham.
Cancellus Turbinum et neritis[84] Barnard the Hermite of Rondeletius a
kind of crab or astacus liuing in a forsaken wilk or nerites.
[84] Hermit Crabs are here referred to, the larger, _Pagurus
bernhardus_, found very frequently inhabiting the shells of the
Whelk, and a smaller species which takes up its abode in those of a
_Trochus_.
echinus echinometrites[85] sea hedghogge whose neat shells are co[=m]on
on the shoare the fish aliue often taken [with _crossed out_] by the
dragges among the oysters.
[85] Dead _Echini_ are very common on the sea-shore, and many
living ones are dredged by the shrimpers. _Echinus sphaera_ is the
most common on the Norfolk coast; _E. miliaris_, a small species,
is also very abundant about Cromer.
[This and the next paragraph on fol. 33 _verso_.]
Balani[86] a smaller sort of vniualue growing co[=m]only in clusters.
the smaller kinds thereof to bee found oftimes upon oysters wilks &
lobsters.
[86] The species of Cirripeds referred to are probably the common
Acorn Barnacle (_Balanus porcatus_) and the Goose Barnacle (_Lepas
anatifera_), the latter occasionally found on ships' bottoms and
drift-wood, probably carried by favourable currents from warmer
seas than our own.
Concha anatifera or Ansifera or Barnicleshell whereof about 4 yeares
past were found upon the shoare no small number by yarmouth hanging by
slender strings of a kind of Alga vnto seuerall splinters or [clefts
_crossed out_] cleauings of firre boards vnto wch they were seuerally
fastned & hanged like ropes of onyons: their shell flat & of a peculiar
forme differing from other shelles, this being of four diuisions.
containing a small imperfect animal at the lower part diuided into many
shootes or streames wch prepossed [imag _crossed out_] spectators fancy
to bee the rudiment of the tayle of some goose or duck to bee [expute
_crossed out_] produced from it. some whereof in ye shell & some taken
out & spred upon paper wee shall [still?] keepe by us.
[Fol. 34.] Stellae marinae[87] or sea starres in great plentie especially
about yarmouth. whether they bee bred out of the [vrticas _crossed out_]
vrticae squalders or sea gellies as many report wee cannot confirme butt
the squalderes in the middle seeme to haue some lines or first draughts
not unlike. our starres exceed not 5 poynts though I haue heard that
some with more haue been found about Hunstanton and Burnham. where are
also found stellae marinae testacae or handsome crusted & brittle sea
[stars _crossed out_] starres much lesse.
[87] The Five-finger (_Asterias rubens_, L.) is a very numerous
species on our coast and very destructive. Brittle Stars
(_Ophiocoma sp?_) are as Browne states most frequent about
Hunstanton, Burnham, and Cromer. _Solaster papposa_ is also found
in the same localities.