LJUNGMAN HERRING'S MODE OF LIFE. 509 



be caused by its desire to catch the small crustaceans which are carried 

 along by the current. 



The herring is easily scared, and at any sudden noise quickly changes 

 its course, no matter whether it is going with or against the current, but 

 generally returns very soon to its old place. Fishermen, therefore, are 

 not afraid that noise could entirely scare the herrings away from a coast. 



In seine-fishing the herrings generally exhibit great terror of the seine, 

 and it is often very difficult to catch them iu this manner. By saying 

 this we do not wish to convey the impression as if seines did drive the 

 herrings away from the coast ; for one seine after the other may often be 

 hauled in successfully in one and the same place. The more or less 

 transparent character of the water has a great deal of influence on seine- 

 fishing. This mode of fishing can, on the coast of Bohus Ian, be only car- 

 ried on by daytime on the southern part of the coast, where the many 

 rivers and streams make the water muddy, so the herring cannot see the 

 seine until escape becomes impossible. During the last great Bohus Ian 

 herring fisheries in the eighteenth century, fishing was generally carried 

 on by daytime, but already during the second half of that fishing pe- 

 riod the fishermen were obliged to fish by night. The rich herring-fish- 

 eries of the last two winters have, however, shown a tendency to return 

 to more favorable conditions. The herrring, which is a much less dar- 

 ing fish than the small herring, does not make any vigorous attempt to 

 fly from the seine 9 ; the small herring, on the other hand, boldly rushes 

 against the sides of the seine, especially whilst it is being hauled in, en- 

 deavoring to push through the meshes, and in this respect it resembles 

 the pilchard. If in seine-fishing small herrings are caught among the 

 larger ones, they are generally found sticking in the meshes of the seine. 

 The small herring does not, like the herring, try to escape the seine by 

 going into deeper water, except during day-fishing in very clear water. 

 If, however, there is the least chance of escape, they will all rush out as 

 fast as possible. Gisler, from reports received by fishermen, relates that 

 it is possible for the herring to disentangle itself from the seine ; and G. 

 0. Cederstrom maintains, also, according to fishermen's reports, that the 

 herring possesses the faculty of swimming about and above the seine, es- 

 pecially when coining in towards the coast or when rising from the deep, 

 so that it can only be caught when going out. All such reports, how- 

 ever, lack confirmation from scientific authorities. This also applies to 

 the report common among the fishermen, that the herriug could lift up 

 portions of the seine and go underneath. This explanation probably 

 has had to serve as an excuse for mistakes made during fishing. 



The herring often changes its depth very suddenly ; and especially 

 during calm weather it has been observed to come to the surface and 

 suddenly head foremost to rush to the deep, whilst the small herring, 



9 "When a codfish accidentally gets into a seine with the herrings it creates such a 

 terror among them that they rush against the sides of the seine with the fury of dis- 

 pair and often hurst it. 



