388 ANNUAL KECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



Hamburg:, it was ascertained that northwest winds are best 

 for large catches of herring, and nortlierly winds better than 

 southerly, westerly better than easterly, also that moderate- 

 ly strong winds, sufficient to ruffle the surface of the sea, are 

 better than calm weather, and light winds almost as unfav- 

 orable as stiff breezes. It is not impossible that, before long, 

 the herring-fisliery may be regulated by the thermometer, 

 and that the net will be shot, not at random, as heretofore, 

 but with an almost absolute certainty of finding the fish. 



In further illustration of the influence of temperature on 

 the herring-fishery of Scotland, we learn that during the 

 week ending August 19th last the temperature of the water 

 off the coast of Northumberland kept at from 58 to 59, but 

 that on the 21st it fell to 55, and on that day herring were 

 caught for the first time. Since then the shoals have been 

 so great that several vessels have sustained heavy losses 

 by the weight of the herring carrying the nets to the bot- 

 tom. 



During the whole of the warm weather of the past summer 

 the catch of herring was very light, and it was not until the 

 change of temperature that they came within range of the 

 nets.- 12 A, Attgust 24, 31, 352, 381. 



POTOMAC KIVER FISHERIES. 



A writer in the Washington Evening Stm\ commenting 

 upon the rapid decrease in the fisheries of the Potomac Riv- 

 er, is disposed to assign the cause, as do many others, to the 

 combined action of the gill-nets and shore seines which break 

 up the schools of fish when on their way to the spawning- 

 grounds, thus preventing the depositing of their eggs under 

 circumstances fiivorable to their development. He strong- 

 ly urges the propriety of having the deep channel of the Po- 

 tomac marked out, and the introduction of nets of any kind 

 therein prohibited under some stringent enactment, this chan- 

 nel to be wide enough to j^ermit sea-room to vessels sailing 

 against the wind half a mile is suggested and so buoyed 

 and staked out that its location shall be unmistakable. 



A similar action in the harbor of Xew York has resulted 

 in preventing the destruction of the fish, and allows them to 

 pass up in sufficient numbers to perpetuate their species. 

 Evening Star. 



