HERRING-FISHERIES ON THE COAST OF SWEDEN. 143 



of large sea-herring, but I have been unable to obtain any account 

 regarding it, which would not have been the case if such fish really were 

 found in any considerable numbers in the Skagerak. 1 



Among the small herring different kinds are also distinguished, and 

 the eminent ichthyologist Kroiier has described one of these as a sepa- 

 rate species under the name of Clupea Schoneveldi. 2 Professor Nilsson 

 has distinguished " a longer and small northern, variety " from the south- 

 ern, to which the Clupea Schoneveldi Kr. belongs. 3 Von Yhlen has, on 

 tke.Bohus-lan coast, distinguished •"small herring coming from the sea" 

 and " small herring belonging to the coast," without, however, asserting 

 that they are two different species. 4 



My. personal observations have not yet enabled me to explain fully 

 whether the different herrings and small herrings are in reality different 

 species or not. From what has been said it will be seen that this whole 

 question can only be answered satisfactorily after the most careful ob- 

 servations have been carried on for years, and by a critical comparison 

 of specimens of every age obtained at different seasons of the year. At 

 the first superficial glance the difference of species- seems easily decided, 

 but on a closer examination one difficulty after the other presents itself. 

 And still, if the question of the herring-fisheries is to be answered satis- 

 factorily and practically, these difficulties must be so completely over- 

 come, that a sufficient knowledge is obtained of the period when each of 

 these species is generally caught on the coast, and of the quantities 

 which are caught. 



II. — OF THE PROPAGATION AND GROWTH OF THE HERRING AND 



SMALL-HERRIN G. 



The spawning of the spring-herring goes on during the months of 

 March, April, and May, 5 in suitable places on the coast, of which 

 only a few are generally known, because the fishing with stationary 

 nets, which are the most convenient for catching spawning-herring, 6 

 is not common in Bohuslan ; and also because drag-nets can be 

 used only in exceptional cases in those places where the herrings 

 spawn. A bottom free from stones and rocks, and perfectly even, 

 is very seldom found on the coast of Bohuslan, since, over a hilly bot- 

 tom, which offers the best places for spawning, the drag-nets cannot gen- 

 erally be drawn. It seems that the herring also often spawns on a 

 clayey bottom, overgrown with aquatic plants. Of well-known spawning- 



1 Sars, G. 0., Indberetning f. 1873, p. 54. 



3 Dantnarks Fiske, iii, p. 138. 



3 Skandinavisk Fauna, iv, p. 518-520. 



4 Goteborgs och Bohuslilns Hushallnings-Siillskaps Qvartalsskrift, Juli 1871, p. 52; 

 Juli 1872, p. 50-51. 



6 It is supposed, bowever, tbat tbe larger spring-berring spawns somewhat earlier on 

 the northern and central coasts, beginning even in February ; Dubb, however, main- 

 tains that the herring on the southern coast continues to spawn till some time in June. 

 (Reports of the Royal Academy of Sciences for 1817, pp. 35, 44.) 



6 See Journal of Pisciculture, VII, p. 20. 



