THE COD FISHERIES NEAR THE LOFFODEN ISLANDS. (J53 



of the fish freer and easier, it follows its instinct and goes to the surface 

 of the water to snap at the diiierent small animals which are found here. 

 But as here among the outer islands it is, in its rather helpless conditiou, 

 exposed to many dangers occasioned partly by physical conditions, e. g., 

 high waves, current, &c., partly by its numerous enemies, both among 

 birds and fishes, instinct has taught it to go nearer to the coast, where 

 it fimis better protection in the loss exposed bays and sounds. These 

 youug of the spring-herring are well known on our west coast by the 

 name of "umsse," and may often be seen near the coast in enormous 

 numbers. Even when measuring only a few inches they begin to gather 

 in schools, which constantly increase in size and which roam about from 

 place to place, thus beginning that roving mode of life which, in my 

 opinion, is highly characteristic of the herring; a mode of life which, in 

 a very natural way, is occasioned by its food. The small pelagian 

 crustaceans, which, as I think, constitute the i)rincipal food of the her- 

 ring, not only in its youth, but all through its life, are very irregular in 

 their occurrence and depend very much on the different currents near the 

 coast. Even at a very early age, therefore, the young herrings may be 

 found far from the places where they were hatched ; and from the same 

 reason they will very naturally, at a later period of their life, gradually 

 distribute themselves over a comparatively large portion of the coast. It 

 must be supposed, however, that as a general rule, at any rate during 

 the first year, they keep near the coast where they usually find sufficient 

 food. As the fish grow up they require more food, and in order to get 

 it they have to go farther out into the ocean where there is greater 

 abundance of food. Herewith those migrations begin which the young 

 herring must sooner or later undertake to those places out in the ocean 

 whence its ancestors, the spring-herrings, came. 



If there were no disturbing elements these migrations would go on 

 quite gradually, the herring as it grew up going out farther and farther 

 into the open sea ; and in that case we would not know anything of the 

 often very extensive and important summer-herring fisheries, which are 

 carried on along the greater portion of our coast and far up the deep 

 fiords. The irregular oocurrence and distribution of the small crustace- 

 ans on our coast, which is influenced by various physical conditions, 

 changes and interrupts these migrations in many ways. These little 

 animals are generally found in larger quantities the farther you get out 

 into the open sea ; but sudden changes of the weather and consequent 

 changes of the currents may often drive them together in certain local- 

 ities, as may during the summer months often be observed off our coasts. 

 Wind and current may drive this dense mass of crustaceans, constantly 

 followed by schools of herrings, toward the coast, where in the deep 

 bays and fiords they sometimes keep the schools of herring near the 

 land for a long time. When the crustaceans have again been scattered, 

 or have by other currents again been driven into the sea, the herrings 

 generally follow them. In exceptional cases, however, especially in 



