Gulf of St. Lawrence. 207 



A. tyrannus, (Alewife). — One specimen procured at Rimouski. 



Clupea virescens ? (Sardine). — These little fish are taken in great 

 quantities in the fall of the year in brush fisheries along the shores 

 of the St. Lawrence as far up a^ the salt water extends. 



C. elongata (Common, Herring). — The herring fishery is not 

 much attended to on the south-east side of the St. Lawrence, al- 

 though the fish are very abundant. In spring they are largely 

 taken at some places in brush fisheries, and sold fresh fur a few 

 pence per bushel ; often for nothing else but to manure land. 



Mullotus villosus, (The Capelin). — Prodigiously abundant 

 along the whole coast during the fore part of summer, and are 

 taken in immense quantities in brush fisheries, and with scoop nets 

 for manuring land and for bait for cod. There is one of these 

 brusli fisheries at almost every second house, each of which takes 

 enough, not only to supply the owner with an abundance of ma- 

 nure, but also some of the farmers in the back concessions, who 

 depend upon him for their supply. It is a wonder that any of the 

 unfortunate capelin escape at all, considering the vast number of 

 these set to intercept their progress. I was informed, on good 

 authority, that 40 cart loads (8 bushels each) were frequently 

 taken out of one of these enclosures. Every family al»ni»; the 

 coast has a number of scoop nets, made by placing a fine meshed 

 net between the prongs of a forked stick, with which they dip 

 great quantities of capelin out of every shoal they see passing by 

 their part of the beach. On the 11th of June, I saw 15 men en- 

 gaged at this work, in one place, where a great shoal was kept 

 close against the shore by the waves. They were standjng in the 

 water dipping them ashore, while a number of carts were busily 

 engaged in drawing them off, the women and children assisting to 

 load them. There were at least 200 bushels lying on the beach at 

 the moment we visited the spot, and they said that they had been 

 engaged at the same wcrk nearly the whole day. One of these 

 men told me that this was nothing to what was sometimes done, 

 and added that he had seen 3000 bushels taken in a day by the 

 inhabitants of one place. 



Ammodytes Americana, (Sand Launce). — Abundant, and used 

 for bait for mackarel, in the stomachs of which they are frequently 

 found. 



Morrhua Americana, (Cod). — I was informed that the extreme 

 height to which the cod ascend the St. Lawrence was Apple 

 Island, not far fromTrois Pistoles, and that some seasons they did 



