HERRING INVESTIGATION, 1916 17, 



By a. meek and DOROTHY STONE. 



During the herring season of 1916 we were able to examine 

 samples from several ports in the Northumberland district, and, as 

 will be seen from Table I., the samples totalled over 3,000 herrmgs. 

 We found it possible also early in 1917 to analyse a sample of 250 

 of the Firth of Forth herring. It is a pleasure to us to acknowledge 

 the help we have received from Mr. David Millar, Fishcurer, of 

 North Shields. The samples obtained of the herrings landed at 

 North Shields were examined in Mr. Millar's curing house, and 

 he gave us every facility in the work. Before IMr. Storrow was 

 called up to join the Navy, he was able to visit Berwick, Seahouses 

 and Hartlepool, and the samples obtained at the end of June and 

 the beginning of July from these places were dealt with by him. 

 IVir. Storrow was received with great kindness and consideration 

 at these places, and was helped materially by Messrs. R. Holmes 

 and Sons, and Messrs. Craig & Co., Berwick ; Messrs. C. & R. 

 Dawson, Seahouses ; and Mr. Cxuthrie, Hartlepool. 



We also take this opportunity of acknowledging with thanks 

 the help given by Miss Jorgensen in examining some of the samples 

 of scales. 



The samples examined at the several ports were taken at 

 random, and in the case of those that were sent, instructions were 

 given not to make any attempt at selection. The general nature 

 of the samples will be seen in Table I., and the localities of capture 

 are indicated in Figure 1 (Chart). 



Size and Age. — In the absence of ]\'Ir. Storrow it is not deemed 

 desirable to do more than refer to some of the outstanding results 

 of the present investigations. These will be of much more value 

 when they are correlated with our previous work, but it is only 

 fair that as Mr. Storrow has done the work up to now he should 

 have the opportunity of reviewing it more completely when he 

 returns. 



The most interesting Skiid striking feature of the analysis for 

 1916 is the demonstration of the presence in large numbers during 



