GEN. CLUPEA. THE PILCHARD. 169 



Few, we believe, are aware of the extent to 

 which the Pilchard fishery is carried on in that lo- 

 cality, and the amount of property engaged in it. 

 In ]827, the total number of persons employed 

 amounted to 10,521 ; and the total capital directly 

 invested was not less than £441,215. The habits 

 of the fish vary according to the season. In January, 

 they keep near the bottom ; in 3Iarch, they some- 

 times assemble in schuUs, as they are called ; but it 

 is not until July that they permanently congre- 

 gate. 



The sean-fishery commences in August, and con- 

 tinues as long as the weather permits. The great 

 body of the fish, which assume the arrangement of 

 a mighty army, take up three positions, which have 

 their separate influence on the success of the fishery. 

 One is to the eastward of the Lizard ; the second 

 between the latter and Land's End ; the third on 

 the north coast of the county, the chief station being 

 about St. Ives. Three boats are required for sean- 

 fishing; the first, termed the sean boat, is furnished 

 with a top-sean two hundred and twenty fathoms 

 iu length and twelve deep ; the second, called the 

 volyer (supposed to be a corruption of follower), has 

 a sean from one hundred to one hundred and twenty 

 fathoms in length and eighteen fathoms deep, named 

 the tuck-sean; the third boat, named the lurker, 

 has no sean. These three boats require a crew of 

 eighteen men and one or two boys. When a shoal 

 of fish is discovered, the lurker proceeds to recon- 

 noitre, to ascertain its size and the direction in which- 



