116 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



it is lessened in proportion. It is unlikely, therefore, 

 that the slight noise produced by striking on the bow of 

 the herring boat would have been audible at the depth 

 of one or two fathoms, after simply passing through the 

 air to the water ; but the effect of the rapping was evi- 

 dent, and is clearly explicable on the hypothesis of the 

 direct transmission of the sound through the boat. 



There appears to be very little doubt, however, that 

 fish at or near the surface may be alarmed, or, in the 

 case of some pond fish, even attracted, by sounds more 

 or less distant and above it. Mr Couch, ^ in his account 

 of the pilchard, says : — The fish are alarmed at noise ; 

 and the firing of a heavy cannon at a distance of 20 

 miles has been known to cause the fish to sink;" but 

 we believe that in many instances the movement is 

 induced more by what is seen than what is heard by 

 the fish. The disturbing effect of heavy firing on 

 shore upon fish in a depth of 10 or 15 fathoms, and at a 

 distance of half a mile or a mile at sea, is a matter on 

 which good evidence is required ; and the testimony 

 of fishermen, who generally clamour against everything 

 they fancy in some way interferes with their interests, 

 is not the most trustworthy on this subject. 



The seasons for drift-fishing depend on the kind of 

 fish which is to be sought for, whether herrings, 

 pilchards, mackerel, or sprats ; for although the last- 

 mentioned fish is principally caught in the stow-net 

 and the scan, it is also taken by drift-nets on certain 

 parts of the coast. 



There is considerable diversity in the times at which 

 the same kind of fish is found on various parts of our 

 coasts •, and this difference in the seasons leads to much 

 larger captures in the course of the year than would 



' History of British Fishes, vol. iv., p. 89 (1865). 



