GEN. CLUPEA. THE PILCHARD. 1 71 



sidered a moderate take for a single drift-boat in 

 one night's fishing; often it amounts to twenty 

 thousand. An instance has occurred of two thou- 

 sand two hundred hogsheads of Pilchard being 

 taken in one sean : another of three thousand hogs- 

 heads — three thousand five hundred fish being 

 allowed for a hogshead. They are cured in differ- 

 ent ways, and exported in great numbers to various 

 parts of Europe, as well as the colonies. 



Like its congener the Herring, the Pilchard seems 

 to spawn at different seasons ; many in May, but 

 the main body not till October. Small marine 

 Crustacea form its principal if not only food, and 

 the stomach is often found crammed with them. 

 The abundance of these creatures in many parts of 

 the ocean is so great, that they almost seem to form 

 one of the ingredients in the composition of the 

 water ; and when we remember that similar minute 

 animals form the sole support of the gigantic 

 whales, we need be the less surprised that the 

 countless shoals of the Pilchard and Herring find 

 ample sustenance from them, without having re- 

 course to other food. This, however, they have 

 been known at times to do, and to feed on worms 

 and the roe of fishes. 



The name of this fish is said to be derived from 

 Peltzer, a northern word, of which we are unac- 

 quainted with the signification. 



CSp. 142.) C. sprattus. The Sprat, or Garvie 

 Herring. It is important that this species should 

 not be confounded, as it has often been, even by 



