The Common Herring 



weather has become cool. Formerly a birch-bark torch, now 

 one of oil, was fixed to the bow of the boat, which is rapidly 

 rowed through the water by several fishermen, while another 

 with a large dip-net is stationed in the bow. The fish rise 

 toward the light in numbers so long as the boat is kept moving 

 rapidly, and large quantities are dipped into the boat. At other 

 times the torch is used to lure the fish into the weirs, the 

 light being then extinguished, and the operation repeated as 

 often as necessary. Gillnets, however, are now the appliances 

 chiefly in use in the herring fishery. They are set at some 

 distance below the surface, and anchored at one or both ends. 

 The quantities caught are very great, frequently sufficient to 

 sink the buoys. 



The food of the herring consists of small animal organisms, 

 chiefly of two small crustaceans, viz.: copepods, or "red seed," 

 and schizopod crustaceans, or the "shrimp" of the fishermen. 

 Among the enemies of the herring which may be mentioned are 

 the cod, haddock, pollock, hake, dogfish, albacore, squid, por- 

 poises, seals and finback whales, each of which is very des- 

 tructive. 



As a food-fish the herring is of very great importance. It 

 is utilized in many different ways. The great quantities brought 

 to Gloucester, New York and elsewhere in winter from New- 

 foundland are sold fresh. Those caught on the New England 

 coast are smoked, salted or pickled, packed as sardines or 

 used as bait chiefly in the cod fisheries. On the Maine coast the 

 most important use is as sardines. 



Head 4^; depth 4^; eye 4; D. 18; A. 17; scales 57; ventral 

 scutes 28+13; vertebrae 56. Body elongate, compressed; scales 

 loose; cheek longer than high; maxillary reaching middle of eye; 

 upper jaw not emarginate, the lower jaw much projecting; 

 vomer with a small ovate patch of small permanent teeth; pala- 

 tine teeth small or absent; tongue with small teeth; gillrakers 

 very long, fine and slender, about 40 on lower arm of first 

 arch; eye longer than snout; abdomen serrated in front as well 

 as behind, the serratures weak. Colour, bluish, silvery below, 

 with bright reflections; peritoneum dusky. 



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