AND THE FISH THEREOF. 67 



pilchard fishery is the only one which is carried on with some degree of 

 energy by the inhabitants of the coast, owing to the large gains it often 

 brings. The waters off Lissa, Lesina, and Scoglio Sant' Andrea, furnish the 

 best hauls ; next in importance are the channels of Trail, Spalato, and off the 

 islands of Brazza and Macarsca. 



Grey mullet is caught in masses at the mouths of the river Narenta, 

 and tunny in the channel of the same name. Besides these, mackerel, the 

 Spanish mackerel, anchovy, LicJiia, pelamid, basse, turbot, and S maris — the 

 latter species being most prevalent at the mouths of the rivers Narenta, Zer- 

 magna, Kerka, Cetina, Giadro, and Ombla. Ostriculture might be cultivated 

 here to advantage, as also sponge fisheries, but both are unknown. 



One-third of the produce of the fisheries, consisting principally of salted 

 pilchards and fresh tunny, is exported to Trieste, Venice, Ancona, Bari, and 

 even to Greece. 



The produce of the sardine fisheries varies from year to year. More than 

 half is caught by the Chioggiotti, but they only supply five per cent, of the 

 local demand. 



Coast and Islands off Ragusa. — These waters team with fish ; those 

 species which frequent rocky ground and calm waters abound in the channels 

 of Calamotta, Meleda, and Stagno. In Meleda there is a salt lake containing 

 an abundance of fish, but it is little fished, owing to its distance from Ragusa. 

 Oysters and other mollusks are reared in the Bay of Stagno, where sweet 

 springs temper the salt water ; sardines are here the produce of the chief 

 fisheries, Smarts come next in order ; the first are shoals in passage, the 

 second are indigenous. Sardines are fished all along the coast from Budua to 

 the extremity of the island of Curzola ; the best fishing grounds are the channel 

 of Cattaro, Ragusavecchia, le Bocche False, and between Curzola and Pelagosa. 



The larger sardine (pilchard) is fished in the open sea, whereas the smaller 

 kinds frequent the channels and sheltered waters : the smallest species (Clupea 

 papalina or sardelline) is caught chiefly near Stagno and the Narenta. When 

 the yield is good, the sardine fisheries are the chief source of livelihood 

 to the inhabitants of Ragusavecchia (old " Epidaurus "), Calamotta, Mezzo, 

 Giuppana, and Trappano. Smaris is taken in large quantities at Curzola ; 



K 2 



