95 



HERRING. 



Harengus, Jonston; PI. i, f. 6. 



«" WiLLOUGHBY; p. 219, Table P. 1. 



Clupea Harengus, Linn^us. Cuviek. Block ; PI. 29. 



" " Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 182. 



" " Jenyns; Manual, p. 435. 



" " Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 183. 



In habits as well as in shape the Herring bears much 

 resemblance to the Pilchard, but its range is extended further 

 to the north; so that it has been seen at rare intervals even in 

 Iceland; although the Missionary Egede, who was familiar with 

 that country, had not met with it there. They also abound on 

 some occasions along the east border of North America, up to 

 the coast of Behring Strait, and were found by Sir John 

 Franklin in Bathurst's Inlet; while they exist, perhaps in large 

 numbers, on the west coast of the same continent, and again 

 on the east side, in Delaware Bay, where a fisherman informed 

 me he had been engaged in securing great quantities which 

 were attracted to the boat by a light; and so numerous were 

 the multitudes thus drawn together, that it was not found 

 necessary to employ any other means of taking them than what 

 is termed a hand or keep-net with which to lade them on 

 board. 



It has been questioned whether this fish exists in the 

 Mediterranean, and it appears that no direct mention of it can 

 be traced to the ancient Greek and Roman writers; but their 

 silence on this subject is of little value, from the small degree 

 of discrimination they shew in reference to fishes which bear a 

 near resemblance to each other; and we further know that there 

 are some species scarcely rare in that sea, of which they have 

 not left us any notice. Dr. Gulia has not met with it at Malta, 

 but Mr. Dodd, in his Natural History of the Herring, informs 



