north. dial. Also coalmie, colemie, colmie, colmy, and in various dial. forms: see quots. Colmous (quot. 1654) is prob. due to confusion with coalmouse. [Perh. the same word as colmie, colmy, CULMY ‘sooty, grimy’; but the early variants are difficult to explain.] The COAL-FISH.
1654. Blaeu, Atlas, Scotia, Orcadum Descr., 138. Piscium variorum, præcipue silurorum minimorum majorum et maximorum (vulgo Sellaks, Kuythes, Colmouses) captura felix.
1808. Jamieson, Colemie, Coalmie, the Coal-fish. [1887 Supp. gives also Colmoth, colemoth, colmouth, colm, comb, and of the young fish comamie, colminie.]
1863. Couch, Brit. Fishes, III. 84.
