114 MACKAREL MIDGS. 



the beauty and complexity of its structure serve well to illus- 

 trate the creative energy of that Being, who is as great in the 

 small as in the most conspicuous, and who renders all things 

 perfect that proceed from His hand. Yet not such appears to 

 have been the opinion of some naturalists, who, from the minute 

 size of this species, could not persuade themselves that it was 

 other than some early stage of existence of some unknown larger 

 fish. It was again a similar cast of thought that led the older 

 naturalists to believe that apparently these and some others of 

 small size, which appeared at times in vast numbers, were 

 produced by spontaneous generation from the froth of the sea 

 or the putrefaction of marine substances, and not from eggs 

 like the larger, and as they judged, more elaborate kinds; on 

 which account they bestowed on them the name of Apua. 



But however small, this species is far from being the least 

 useful of the natives of the ocean; for, as the prey of other 

 fishes, it helps to form a powerful attraction which draws many 

 of the wandering and more valuable kinds within the reach 

 of human effort, and by so doing afford employment and 

 subsistence to large numbers of people, who know nothing 

 of that economy of providence by which their wants are 

 abundantly supplied. The Mackarel Midge is widely dispersed 

 over the Atlantic Ocean, for it is recognised by Nilsson among 

 the fishes of the Northern Sea, and through the kindness of Mr. 

 Higgins I have received examples from the bay of Chesapeake 

 in America. On our own coasts they perform a sort of migration, 

 or rather change of quarters; which appears to be chiefly from 

 the deeper to the shallow water, and from the bottom to the 

 surface. They are not recorded as presenting themselves to 

 the notice of fishermen generally until about the middle of 

 May; after which time they often abound at all distances from 

 land to which fishermen are accustomed to proceed; and it is 

 only late in autunm that they cease to be seen. Through the 

 warmer seasons of the year they keep close to the surface 

 in small companies, and in stormy weather it is common for them 

 to be thrown on board a fisherman's boat from the crest of a 

 wave when it breaks over the gunwale, or perhaps on the beach 

 entangled in sea- weed. As if conscious of danger from every 

 prowling inhabitant of the deep, these fishes are ever ready to 

 seek the shelter of a floating object; and they appear to feel 



