Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk Part 6

[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 s.h.a.green 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 pa.s.ser or place.

b.u.t.ts of various kinds.

The pa.s.ser squamosus Bret Bretc.o.c.k[77] & skulls comparable in taste and delicacy vnto the soale.

[77] The Brill, _Rhombus laevis_ (Lin.), _Pa.s.ser asper squamosus___, Rondl., formerly known as the Brett, Bretc.o.c.k, 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 b.u.t.t[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 _Pa.s.ser 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 sh.e.l.lie substance which sustaineth the whole bulk of that soft fishe found co[=m]only on the sh.o.a.re.

[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 sh.o.r.e for miles. The Squid, _Loligo vulgaris_, is often met with, sometimes of considerable size. The h.o.r.n.y "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 sh.o.a.re 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 l.u.s.tre of orientall pearle.

A polypus another kind of the mollia[N] sometimes wee haue met with.

[N] By _mollia_ is meant all soft-bodied sh.e.l.l-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 Sh.o.r.e-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 sh.e.l.ls being broakin with [cle _crossed out_] cleuers the greater part pickled & sent weekly to London & other parts.

Mituli or muscles in great quant.i.tie 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 sh.e.l.l wherein an animal like a snayle cleauing fast unto the rocks.

Solenes cappe lunge venetorum co[=m]only a razor fish the sh.e.l.l 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 c.o.c.kles are very abundant all along the shallow sh.o.r.es 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, _Na.s.sa 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 Sh.e.l.l, 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 sh.e.l.l 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 sh.e.l.ls 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 sh.e.l.ls of the Whelk, and a smaller species which takes up its abode in those of a _Trochus_.

echinus echinometrites[85] sea hedghogge whose neat sh.e.l.ls are co[=m]on on the sh.o.a.re the fish aliue often taken [with _crossed out_] by the dragges among the oysters.

[85] Dead _Echini_ are very common on the sea-sh.o.r.e, 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 cl.u.s.ters.

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 (_Bala.n.u.s porcatus_) and the Goose Barnacle (_Lepas anatifera_), the latter occasionally found on s.h.i.+ps' bottoms and drift-wood, probably carried by favourable currents from warmer seas than our own.

Concha anatifera or Ansifera or Barniclesh.e.l.l whereof about 4 yeares past were found upon the sh.o.a.re 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 sh.e.l.l flat & of a peculiar forme differing from other sh.e.l.les, 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 sh.e.l.l & 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 b.u.t.t 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.

The pediculus[88] and culex marin us the sea lowse & flie are [are _crossed out_] also no strangeres.

[88] The Pediculus, or Sea Louse, is probably _Talitrus locusta_, the Sand-hopper; what may be intended by _Culex marinus_ it is difficult to say. A species of gnat is at times very numerous on the wet sand just above the water-line. _See also_ Notes 110 and 115, on a kindred subject.

Physsalus Rondeletij[89] or eruca marina physsaloides according to the icon of Rondeletius of very orient green & purple bristles.

[89] The Sea Mouse, _Aphrodite aculeata_. This is referred to again in the Letters to Merrett.

Urtica marina[90] of diuers kinds some whereof called squalderes. of a burning and stinging qualitie if rubbed in the hand. the water thereof may afford a good cosmetick.