Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 



277 



ray, 2.2—3.0 in head. Pectoral inserted a little higher on side than pelvic, and below 

 distal margin of opercle, 1.3— 1.6 in head. 



Color. According to Bigelow and Welsh {l6\ 93): 



Peritoneum quite dusky. Deep steel blue or greenish blue on the back with green reflections; the sides and 

 belly silvery; the change from dark to pale sides often marked by a greenish band. The gill covers sometimes 

 glisten with a golden or brassy gloss; indeed, fish just out of the water are iridescent all over with different hues 

 of blue, green, and violet, beauties that soon fade, however, 

 leaving only the dark back and silvery sides. The ventral and 

 anal fins are transparent white ; the pectorals, however, are dark 

 at the base and along the upper edge; the caudal and dorsal 

 dark grayish or shading into blue or green. 



Size. The maximum size attained by the 

 Atlantic Herring is about 450 mm (18 in.), 

 though the usual size is only about 300 mm 

 (12 in.). 



Scope of Following Account. Much has been 

 written about this Herring's spawning habits, food, 

 rate of growth, seasonal migrations, and so on, 

 by both European and American authors. Sum- 

 maries of the literature about this species on the 

 American coast, with frequent references to the 

 European literature, have been given by Bigelow 

 and Welsh {16: 92-105) and by Bigelow and 

 Schroeder {i^: 88-100), who drew heavily on 

 important papers by Moore {g^: 387—442), Lea 

 {j8: 75-164), and Huntsman (6j: 1 65-1 71); 

 furthermore, they were able to add much to the already known facts from their own 

 studies. A review of all the literature would make this account much too long for 

 the present work. Therefore, only a brief summary of what is known about its life 

 history, drawn in large part from the accounts mentioned above (25; j6), is given here. 

 Nearly all of the papers cited provide bibliographies from which references to literature 

 containing additional information may be obtained. 



Development and Growth. The eggs of the Atlantic Herring, i.o— 1.4 mm in 

 diameter (j6: 98) or 1.2— 1.5 mm (29: 362), are heavier than sea water, and adhesive, 

 adhering singly or in clumps to objects in the water or to the bottom. If they fall on 

 muddy bottom they probably smother. 



The number of eggs produced by a single female is relatively small, and as usual 

 it varies according to the size of the fish, large fish having many more eggs than small 

 ones. The number produced by one female may vary between 21,000-47,000 (JOJ: 

 283) or between 20,000-40,000 {16: 94). 



The duration of incubation depends upon the temperature. Norman stated that 

 eggs kept at 52-58° F hatched in eight or nine days, whereas others held in water at 



Figure 67. Clufea harengus (Europe) eggs 

 attached to seaweed. After Ehrenbaum. 



