172 MALACOP. ABDOM. HERRING FAMILY. 



professed naturalists, with the young of the Herring 

 and Pilchard, which it very closely resembles. The 

 keel of the abdomen is always sharply serrated in 

 the Sprat, and that character at once distinguishes 

 it from mature individuals of these two species, in- 

 dependently of the difference in size ; but as young 

 Herrings and Pilchards have the ridge of the belly 

 likewise serrated, we must seek for less equivocal 

 marks. These are to be found in the position of 

 the dorsal fin, which, in the Sprat, is situated nearer 

 the tip of the tail than to the point of the snout : 

 and in the position of the ventrals, which is a little 

 anterior to the first ray of the dorsal. 



From five to six inches is the ordinary length of 

 this species, the colours similar to those of the Her- 

 ring. Like the latter, it is variable and capricious 

 as to the places it frequents as well as to its times of 

 appearance. In the Firth of Forth, for example. 

 Sprats were seldom found in any quantity till about 

 six years ago, but since that time they have been most 

 abundant, and are sold about the streets of Edinburgh 

 by measure. Numerous other places might be men- 

 tioned where they annually appear in large shoals ; 

 the coasts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Kent, 

 have been long favourite places of resort to them. 



They are frequently taken in such multitudes 

 that they are used for manure, being sold at the 

 rate of sixpence and eightpence the bushel. Many 

 thousand tons are annually disposed of in this man- 

 ner. Sprats spawn in March, and their food is similar 

 to that of the Herring. 



