234 PHYSOSTOMI. 



In Norfolk considerable quantities are prepared and sold as anchovies and 

 anchovy paste (Lowe). 



In some parts of Scotland they are thus preserved : selected fish are washed 

 in salt and water, then threaded on wire skewers and suspended for two hours in 

 a pickling vat, so that no two fishes touch one another. On being removed they 

 are hung up in a current of air until the next day, when they are smoked like 

 bloaters until they assume a yellow colour. They will keep four or five days, and 

 additional pickling and smoking will enable them to keep longer. 



An important trade appears to be springing up at Lowestoft, where they are 

 being tinned as anchovies. Three million tins of sprats similarly cured as 

 anchovies on the west coast of France are annually imported into this country. 

 Those taken off Finisterre are found to possess a muddy flavour, but they are 

 expoi'ted by some second-rate mercantile houses. 



A so-called anchovy paste may be made as follows, sufficient for a peck of 

 sprats : 2 lb. common salt, 3 oz. bay-salt, 1 lb. saltpetre, 2 oz. of prunella, and a 

 few grains of cochineal, pounded well together in a mortar ; into a stone jar place 

 first a layer of fish, then of the pounded ingredients, and so on until the jar is 

 filled ; press them hard down and cover closely. After six months they will be 

 ready for use. 



Uses. As bait for ground fish, for which purpose their oily nature makes them 

 very acceptable. Large quantities in some years are disposed of for manure, which 

 may be due to the markets being glutted, or else that by the time the fish have been 

 landed, those which were first caught are fit for nothing else. In some localities 

 they are even fished for solely with the view of being employed as manure. It 

 has been observed in Berwickshire that they are largely eaten by the salmon. 



Habitat. From the Finnish coast, through the North Sea and Baltic, also 

 along the coasts of the British Isles, France, and the Iberian Peninsula. It is 

 also found in Tasmania (Giinther). A large fishery exists in the Zuyder Zee : in 

 1882 it closed in August and fish valued at 70,000 wei'e secured. 



In the Moray Firth it is abundant on the east side towards the end of the 

 herring season, subsequently it passes westwards towards the more sheltered parts. 

 Parnell remarks that it is found in the Firth of Forth throughout the year, but like 

 many small animals, it appears to be very susceptible to cold ; while during the warm 

 summer months it may be seen sporting about in large shoals. It is common 

 along the east coast, while some of the largest fisheries are in the Solent, the mouth 

 of the Thames and off Margate. Off Folkestone, in January, 1879, the sea appeared 

 alive with them, and they were sold at l^d a 1000. In the British Channel, or 

 rather on the southern shores of Cornwall, it is rare ; on the northern coast it is 

 more common. Having personally investigated the distribution of this fish along 

 this portion of England in the autumn of the last four seasons, I found the young 

 very common along the south coast of Devonshire ; also sprats are numerous at 

 St. Ives. But at Mevagissey and Penzance it seems to be rare. On the west 

 coast of England it is occasionally abundant, but not to so great an extent as on 

 the east coast (see migrations). 



In Ireland it has been recorded round the coast, but there is no sprat fishery 

 off the counties of Antrim or Down ; still it is taken in large quantities along the 

 south coast. Templeton observes that it appears during the autumnal months 

 in the bay, and as far up the rivers as the tide flows. 



Largest specimens personally obtained 5| inches in length, but three are 

 mentioned as sent from Aldborough over 6h inches in length (Field, January 

 21st, 1882). 



4. Clupea alosa, Plate CXL. 



A lausa, Anson, v, v ]27 ; Belon. p. 300; Salvian. fol. civ ; Willugh. p. 227, 

 t. P3, f . i ; Ray, Piscium, p. 105. Trichis, Belon. p. 30G. Thrissa, Rondel, p. 220. 

 Clupea, sp. Gronov. Zooph. no. 347. Harengus, sp. Klein, Pise. Miss, v, p. 72, 

 no. 5, t. xix, f. 4. Allis, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (Ed. 1776) iii, p. 348, pi. lxix (Ed. 

 1812) iii, p. 460, pi. lxxx. 



