234 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



mediate death of the fish the moment it is taken out of its 

 native element, and hence the well-known proverb, — 



" As dead as a herring." 



The dorsal fin consists of seventeen rays ; the two ventral 

 fins have nine, the pectoral seventeen, and the anal fourteen. 

 The tail is extremely forked ; the lateral line is hid beneath 

 the sides, and the sides are compressed. 



Herrings are found in the greatest abundance in the 

 higher northern latitudes. In those unnavierable seas where 

 the ark of man ne'er found a resting place, from their being 

 covered with ice for the greater part, and in some places 

 the whole year round ; beneath these continents of ice these 

 fishes find a quiet and safe retreat from their numerous ene- 

 mies ; thither neither man, the finner (palcenoptera jubartes), 

 nor the physeter macrocephalus, or great-headed cachalot, 

 dare to pursue them. The quantity of insect food which 

 those seas supply is amazing (as I have already mentioned), 

 which, added to the security of these fishes beneath the icy 

 rigour of the climate, render their increase beyond all 

 calculation, and from these retreats some zoologists have 

 supposed they would never depart, did not their numbers 

 render it necessary for them to migrate in quest of food, 

 more congenial to their climate. The great colony of 

 herrings sets out from the Arctic Ocean about the middle 

 of winter, it is supposed in such quantities as defy concep- 

 tion ; but no sooner is it in motion than millions of enemies 

 are on the alert, and thin their squadrons. The finner 

 and the cachalot swallow hundreds at one mouthful — the 

 porpoise, the grampus, shark, and the numerous tribes of 

 dog-fish, find them an easy prey ; — and, desisting from their 

 carnage, unite in devouring these defenceless animals : 

 while the myriads of sea-fowl that inhabit and frequent the 

 Arctic regions watch the progress of their migration, and 

 thus form almost as fatal a class of enemies as those of the 

 vast and mighty deep. 



