6 HOW TO CATCH ATHERINES. 



The reader would do well to dissect it out, and see how 

 beautifully this contrivance works. 



ATHERINE. 



Acanthoperi. Atherimda. 



German : Der Schrdtzer. 



The Atherine, or Sand-smelt (Atherina presbyter), is a 

 small handsome fish, from four to five inches long. It 



ATHEEiNE [Atherine hoieri). 



is very pretty in appearance ; from the fine broad silver 

 stripe along the side it looks attractive on the fish-stall. 

 It is a common fish on the southern coasts ; and at 

 Brighton is considered a delicacy, and sold in large 

 quantities to visitors during the winter months. As 

 will be seen from the specimens in the Brighton Aqua- 

 rium, this is a very graceful and pretty little fish. 



I am informed by my secretary, Mr. Searle, that these 

 atherine s are very plentiful on the Hampshire coast, 

 especially at Lymington, where they come into the river 

 in the summer, and are caught by thousands in the 

 fresh or brackish water. The method of taking them 

 is in this way : a man from a boat drops a large round 

 shallow net fastened by a rope to the end of a pole into 

 the water to the bottom, and then strews crumbs of 

 bread over it, and by leverage of the pole on the side 

 of the boat sometimes brings up thousands at a time. 

 They have the same cucumber scent, but not so 

 strong, as the sparlings and smelts sold in the London 

 markets. 



