THE NORWEGIAN HERRING-FISHERIES. 121 



modified by storm and cold. In examining the localities where the 

 herring fisheries are carried on, it will be seen that there is likewise a 

 certain regularity in them. From 1808 and 1819 Skudesnses was the 

 chief seat of the fisheries on the southern coast, while north of Karma 

 and Espevaer only few herring were caught, not counting, however, the 

 so-called Bergen fisheries from Selbjornfjord to Feio. From the year 1819 

 the herring also began to appear in large masses near the Hviding Islands, 

 Tananger, and Eoth, and in 1825 it passed south of Jeeder. From 1824 to 

 183S we notice a constant tendency in the herring to move south , the schools 

 in that direction increasing every year, so that rich fisheries began to spring 

 up, first near Egersund, then near Sagndal, Basgefjord, and Hoekkefjord, 

 while at the same time the fisheries near Skudesnses gradually grew 

 less abundant. From that time, the herring began again to retreat, and 

 soon disappeared completely south of the J seder, and more recently from 

 the Hviding Islands and Skudesna3s ; while, on the other hand, the 

 fisheries became very important near Bovser. During the last year the 

 fishing has shifted north of Espevser. If this regularity in the change 

 of time and place of the herring movements could only be proved with 

 regard to the southern spring-herring fisheries, it would be an impor- 

 tant fact, yet not important enough to allow us to deduce laws that 

 would be applicable in all cases. Boeck, however, found that such was 

 really the case. In examining the information scattered in merchants' 

 account-books, and letters which he was permitted to use in Stavanger, 

 he found that this same law applied in former as well as in later times, 

 and that there was the same regularity in the change of time and place 

 of the herring-fisheries. He has treated this subject at length in his 

 work, " On the herring and the herring-fisheries." Even in examining 

 the dates regarding the herring-fishery in the year 1575, given by 

 Absalon Pedersen Beyer, we find that the fisheries in the beginning of 

 that period commenced toward the end of February. This law is there- 

 fore found to apply to three different periods. The same phenomena 

 were observed not only here, but also in other places. This can be 

 shown most conclusively in the Bohuslen fisheries. Boeck found that 

 this regularity was very apparent there in the great fisheries which 

 closed in 1808. In 175G the fisheries commenced near Styrso and 

 Bifofjord, south of Gottenburg ; from there the herring went constantly 

 northward, and in 1773 herring were caught near Stroinstad, and, in 

 177S, near the Hval Islands. As regards the time of its appearance, 

 the herring in 1750 came in October, and from that time always a little 

 earlier, till 1702, when it came on the lGth of August; then again 

 gradually later. For example, in 1780, toward the end of October ; 

 1790, in the middle of November ; 1S00, about Christmas, and toward 

 the end of that period (about 180S) in February. The same was also 

 the case during the great fishing period, from 1556 to 1590. It will 

 thus be seen that the same law has held good for several centuries and 

 in-two different places. 



In 1868, when the fisheries were still very abundant, Boeck thought 



