LARGER LAUNCE, 141 



may be said to perform a regular migration. Risso represents 

 these fish as appearing thus in the neighbourhood of Nice; 

 where they are seen coming in schools from the west in May 

 and June in their passage eastward; at which time, although of 

 small size, they are fished for with nets, which also take the 

 smaller sardines and anchovies fdupeidce.) 



With us these Larger Launce are in much more limited 

 numbers than the smaller species, and more locally as well as 

 sparingly distributed; and I have no knowledge of any district 

 in which they form a particular object of interest to fishermen 

 except on the smooth sandy shore of St. Ives, on the north coast 

 of Cornwall. The net prepared for this fishery is about twenty 

 fathoms in length, and of a depth to suit that of the water; 

 the meshes being of the size barely to admit the passage of a 

 sixpence; and at the middle of the net, where it is formed into 

 a bag, there is what is termed the bunt, which consists of a fine 

 sort of canvas. The boat is of good size, and has a crew of 

 four men: with another man who stands on the shore and who 

 holds fast the warp that is fastened to the end of the net. The 

 boat is by this means kept in the proper position with her 

 broadside towards the shore, and thus the net is made to form 

 a circle, so as to enclose the fish within it until it is drawn up or 

 tucked into the boat, with the fish collected together in the bag. 

 It must be owing to the nature of the ground, which consists of 

 the finest sand, with scarcely a stone to interfere with its smooth- 

 ness, that it is not usual for other fishes, even of small size, to 

 be enclosed in the net with the Launces; but the numbers of 

 the latter taken at one haul will often amount to a couple of 

 bushels; and even three bushels have been enclosed in the net 

 at one time. 



This fishery usually begins in May, and will continue until 

 September, if the more profitable fishery for Pilchards does 

 not intervene to put an end to it. The Launces thus caught 

 are chiefly employed as bait for the larger fishes; and without 

 them the hook fishery in that neighbourhood would be greatly 

 hiterfered with, if not destroyed — for in that district there are 

 few of the resources which abound in other parts of Cornwall 

 to supply fishermen with bait. But these Wide-mouthed Launces 

 are also sold for the table, and where they are known they arc 

 represented as being a great delicacy. This species is mentioned 



