"The habits of this fish do not, with the exception of having been in some instances taken with the artificial fly, differ in any marked respect from those of the Vendace of Scotland, or the Gwyniad of Wales, and are in accordance with such species of Continental Europe as are confined to inland waters, and of whose history we have been so fully informed by Bloch."
In 1835, Mr. Thompson published some observations on this species. The earliest notice of it that he has seen, occurs, he says, in Harris's History of County Down, 1744.
"The Vendace or Vendis (Coregonus Willughbii); Vendace, Jardine; Vangis and Juvangis, Penn, Brit. Zool., vol. iii. p. 420.; Vendace, Knox, Trans. R.S.E., vol. xii. p. 503.
"But little is known of this delicate fish," says Mr. Yarrell, "beyond what has been published by Sir William Jardine, Bart., in the 3rd volume of the Edinb. Journal of Nat. and Geog. Science, and by Dr. Knox. The Vendace is only known in the lochs in the neighbourhood of Lochmaben, in Dumfriesshire. Sir W. Jardine says, 'The story that it was introduced into these lochs by the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots, is mentioned by Pennant in his description of the Gwyniad, (and it is likely that his information was derived from this vicinity,) and is still in circulation. That the fish was introduced from some continental lake, I have little doubt, but would rather attribute the circumstance to some of the religious establishments which at one time prevailed in the neighbourhood, and which were well known to pay considerable attention both to the table and cellar. The introduction must have taken place by means of spawn: the fish themselves could not be transported alive even a few miles. They are not confined to the castle loch, but are found in several others, some of which have no communication with that where they are thought peculiar. In general habits, the Vendace nearly resemble the Gwyniad, and indeed most of the allied species of the genus."
Mr. Yarrell gives representations of two magnified specimens of their food.
JARLTZBERG.
MACARONIC POETRY.
(Vol. v., p. 166.)
Perhaps some of the correspondents of "N. & Q." who take an interest in this style of composition are not acquainted with the two following productions, which appeared at Oxford several years ago, the author of the first being an accomplished first-class man, and, I think, a member of Worcester College:
1. "Viæ per Angliam ferro stratæ." (The Railroads);
2. "Poema Canino-Anglico-Latinum, super adventu recenti serenissimarum Principum." (The Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria.)