THE 
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL. 
July, 1830.—September, 1831. 
Arr. XXXVIIIL. Notice of anew Species of Herring. By 
Wiccram Yarrec, Esq., FL. and Z.8. 
EXAMINATION of considerable quantities of the various sorts of fish 
caught at the mouth of the Thames and Medway, at this season of the 
year, by fishermen engaged in taking sprats, has enabled me to select 
what I believe to be a second and undescribed species of Herring. 
The common Herring, when it visits our coast in summer, is taken 
heavy with roe, which it deposits towards the end of October. It is 
certain that the fishing for them is abandoned about that time, as no pur- 
chasers could be found for the “‘ shotten Herring,’’ and it is also weil known 
that the Herrings having cast their roe retire from the shore to deep 
water. In the last week of February, 1828, I obtained at Brighton a 
few of the young of our common Herring, then from four to five inches 
long. These were caught by fishermen who worked nets with small 
meshes for Atherines. Great numbers of the young of the common Her- 
ring are taken with the sprats; they are called yawlings by many fisher- 
men, aterm probably derived from yearling, but these young Herrings 
differ materially from the Herring which I believe to be new. The 
yearling fish have the elongated form of the adult common Herring. If 
7 inches long, which is about their average length, they are only 1 inch 
and % deep, and are without roe. Having examined them repeatedly 
during the winter months, I am induced to believe they do not mature 
any roe during their first year; and the fact of their remaining in large 
Vou. V. 7 
