48 



THE PILCHARD. 



( Clujwa Aajjax.) 



Tlie PilcliJinl, wliirli 1)c1(iii,l;'s t(i the Hci-riii,!;' trilie, is rfi)rosc'iite(l liy the Ixjttoin iigure, tlie 

 siiijillest lieing the Sjirat. and tlie hirgest the Herriuf;. wljieli are uot fonnd in tliese waters, strange 

 to say, altliough so closely allied to tlie Pilehard. I'hese fish are hut seldom seen alive in the 

 tanks, owing to the extreme delicacy of their texture, the scales coming ofi", and so causing injury 

 on the least handling. It is a pity that some pi-actical use ('annot he made of this splendid article 

 of food sup] ily which sometimes visits onr coasts in such enornidns (|nantilics that the water is 

 literally alive with them. 



Mr. Lindsay G. Thompson, the 

 (ihief Insjiector of Fislieries of 

 Xew South Wales, writes as fol- 

 lows : — 



"A species of herring (67 «;)<=(» .««;/«./■) 

 almost identical witli tlie English pilchard 

 makes its appearance on the coast of New 

 South Wales annually in June or July. 

 It is called l)y the tishernien Moray, pro- 

 bably a native name, though this term 

 is sometimes applied to other species of 

 herring. The shoals are described as 

 enormous, covering miles of sea, and ac- 

 companied by flights of bii'ds and numbers 

 t)f large fishes. These shoals are generally 

 observed from 1 to 3 miles from the land, 

 and are al\va3's proceeding in a northei'ly 

 direction. The same tish is reported by 

 Dr. Hector, F. R.S., Director of the 

 Colonial Museum, Wellington, New Zea- 

 l.and, to visit the east coast of Otago 

 every year in February or March. In 

 1877 'a shoal was ol^served there migrat- 

 ing soutlnvards. It extended as far as 

 the eye could reach, followed by multitudes of gulls, mutton-birds, barracoota, and porpoises. .So densely packed were 

 they that by dipping a pitcher into the sea it would be drawn out half full of fish, so that by the use of large boats and 

 suitable nets tliousands of tons could have been caught.' There is much that is curious about the migrations of this fish : 

 all the slioals which pass here in winter are going north, while the shoals visiting Otago in summer are going south. It is 

 a matter for inquiry — 'Are they the same fishes returning to their homes in tlie Antarctic seas after months of travel in 

 search of spawning grounds? If so, how far north do they go ? And where are tlieir breeding grounds ? ' " 



There is no donht that there is an enormous soiu'ce of revenue yearly lost to all the coastal 

 inhahitants through the non-utilization of this magniticent ocean harvcsf. and it would he a good 

 suggestion that all those who have opportunities, such as fishermen, masters of coasting vessels, 

 kc should make notes of irhcre an<l irhcn they came across shoals offish ; the kinds offish, of 

 which a specimen or two should lie ])laced in s[)irits for identification ; the dirfctio)) in which the 

 shoals were moving ; the apjiareut extent of them ; whether the fish were full or sjient : and of 

 auy other items occurring to the observer at the time. The Sardine industry of the Mediterranean 

 is worth millions per animm, and employs thousands of men, women, and children in its various 

 branches, and we are neglecting a great s<iurce of wealth in not taking advantage of this hountifnl 

 supjily of nature. 



THE BLENNY. 



(Cristicips sji.) 



A numlier of varieties of tliis little fish will he seen in the various 

 depending barbels, which are used for seeking out its footl. It is commonly 

 small rocky jjools and on the grass beds, and does uot attain any large size. 



tanks. 



found ; 



It has the 



mongst the 



