580 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



tlie S;uul-I-',el (Am. hnircolii/Ks) lias reached iiiaTiirit\- 

 at the size hist lucnliuncc], is as \ei an open question. 

 It grows, as ^^e liave nientioiied above, to a length of 

 30 cm. or uioi-e; and I>oth uialcs and females attain 

 this size. These largest specimens of the Sand-Eel are 

 known in Scania by the name of Kttngar (Kings). At 

 Alms they arc also called Groiiiiifiny ('Jrecntish), a 

 name whicii is sometimes a|)]ilicd to all specimens of 

 this species. Some fishermen know that there ai-e two 

 kinds of Sand-Eels, and that the Kings belong only to 

 one of them. Nilsson has adopted the names of hr'it- 

 tohis (White Saiid-Kel) and hhitahis (IJlue Sand-Kcl) 

 from l>lekinge. 



The Kings are rai'c, probalily from a cause easy 

 of comprehension. It is no doubt difficult for many 

 specimens to escape for some A'ears the tackle con- 

 •btantly set for tliem, especially the seine. They are, 

 therefore, most luunerous in proportion to the entire 

 catch at spots where the t'wo species are not plentiful 

 enough to make the use of the seine remunerative. 

 That some few of tliem do escape, in spite of all, seems 

 probably to depend on tlie fact that the older speci- 

 mens btn-y themselves in the sand and lead a much 

 more sluggish life than the young ones, being thus 

 nuicii less exposed to the risk of being caught. Thev 

 are said to be taken only toAvards evening. The fishery 

 for Sand-Eels is indeed remarkable, for it shows the 

 extraordinary hardiness of these s]X'cies. ( )ff Simris- 

 hanin Sand-Eels are still taken in quantities only 

 slightly, if at all, less tiian in former times, altliough 

 a war of extermination has been pui'sued against them 

 yearly for several centuries. This war has been car- 

 ried on with fine-meshed seines long before, during, 

 and after tlie spawning-season; and would thus seem 

 to have been enough entirely to extirpate the spe- 

 cies in a few years. But it is just tiiis hardiness that 

 renders the history of the species so much more de- 

 serving of careful study. The fine and extremely nu- 



merous eggs, and periia])S tlie I'oving life of the young 

 specimens, may perliaps (■onq)ensate to some e.xtent the 

 numbers destroyed, if only a few large females be 

 yearly permitted to deposit their roe. Still it is not 

 unusual to hear the fisherman complain of the decline 

 of this fishery. Thus we learn now (1890) from Sond- 

 rum (off llalmstad) that "the Sand-Eel has become 

 rarer in tiiis neigiiboiu-hood than it used to be. Eor- 

 merly it was sold and eaten in quantities. Now the 

 supply is scarcely enough for bait." 



The Sand-Eel is eaten fresh, boiled, or fried, and 

 is regarded by many as a delicacy. ( )thers assert that 

 it is too lean, and others again find the smell of the 

 flesh repulsive. At Sirarishamn a great portion of the 

 catch is dried and preserved for winter use. There is 

 no distinguishable difference in flavour between tlie two 

 species. These fishes are, however, very important to 

 man in another respect as well. The large shoals in 

 which they live, entice larger and more valuable fishes 

 to the fishing-grounds. Mr. Lundberg", Inspector of 

 Fisheries, remarks that the Sand-Eel is important as 

 food for the Salmon, which at sheh ing spots along the 

 Scanian coast comes close in shore chiefly to hunt Sand- 

 Eels, and which during certain years thus becomes the 

 object of a higlily lucrative seine-fishery. The Sand- 

 Eel is also considered excellent bait for Cod and other 

 large fishes-of-prey, and is used for this purpose wher- 

 ever it I'an be procured. 



We have already described the seines used for 

 Sand-Eels. In tidal waters, as for instance on the 

 coasts of the North Sea, in England, Ireland, and France, 

 persons may be seen, when the tide is out, scratching 

 up Sand-Eels with spades and other implements adapted 

 to this purpose. Similar irajdements are used in Swe- 

 den to secure the Sand-Eels that have buried them- 

 selves in the sand after they ha^e been dra\vn ashore. 



(SlXDEVALL, S.MrrT.) 



" Lundberg, Meddelanden roraiide Sveriges fiskerier. liiift. 2, p. 151. 



