MARINE FOOD FISHES 121 



spawning and winter-spawning herring are fish of a 

 different race. The latter deposit their eggs in brackish 

 water, whereas the former spawn at a considerable 

 distance from the coast. 



The herring egg hatches in about a fortnight and 

 the larval fish that appears differs from the plaice larva, 

 previously described, in that it is already advanced 

 further in development and the mouth is opened. 



At first the young herring grows mainly in length, and 

 when about an inch and a half long is an attenuated 

 little fish, perfectly transparent, and devoid of scales. 

 The transformation of the larval herring occurs two to 

 three months after hatching, when the fish is one and 

 a half to two inches in length. This change consists in 

 the appearance of scales, while at the same time the 

 fish becomes silvery and the body increases in depth. 



The larval sprat goes through a similar transforma- 

 tion, and both these fish are met with as whitebait when 

 from one to three inches long. 



In February, March and April, 90 per cent, of white- 

 bait consists of sprats, but in July, August and September 

 the number of small herrings greatly predominate. 



The pilchard is to be found inhabiting the sea from 

 the southern shores of our country right into the Medi- 

 terranean. Caught off the Cornish coast, the fish is 

 known as a pilchard, but when taken in French waters 

 it is called a sardine. Many people think that when 

 they purchase a tin of small-sized sardines, that they are 

 procuring the genuine article, and that the tins of larger 



