DRIFT-NET FISHING. 135 



akin to what is said of the pilchard than what we know 

 of the herring — namely, that it not improbably spawns 

 at the surface, in summer generally in deep water, but 

 in winter nearer the shore. If any drift-fishery were 

 carried on in summer with meshes small enough to catch 

 the larger-sized sprats, we might obtain more infor- 

 mation about the probable localities and actual time of 

 the summer spawning, but we are not likely to get any 

 help in this matter from professional fishermen ; and 

 little as we have been able to say about the breeding- 

 habits of this very common fish, we believe it embodies 

 most of what is really known on the subject at the 

 present time. 



Sprat fishing on the English and Scotch coasts, what- 

 ever may be the method employed, is always carried on 

 in winter, but on the south-west of Ireland and in 

 Donegal Bay it is earlier, and lasts from August to 

 nearly Christmas. 



Drift-fishing for sprats is quite an exceptional method 

 of catching them ; it is adopted, however, about Rams- 

 gate, Deal, and Hastings ; a short train of untanned 

 nets being used from small boats worked by a couple of 

 men, and the produce consisting only of the larger and 

 more valuable fish. 



We believe there are still some persons in existence 

 who persist in the belief that sprats are nothing but 

 young herrings ; but we trust they are not very 

 numerous in these enlightened times. 



