510 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



according to the observations of old and experienced fishermen, never 

 does this. 



The herring generally goes deeper than the small herring, which is more 

 of a surface fish. During the rich fisheries in the Norwegian boundary- 

 waters, fishermen have reported that large herring and small herring- 

 were caught alternately by lowering and raising the seine. 



It has been observed during seine-fishing that the larger herrings keep 

 nearer the bottom than the small ones, which always love to keep near 

 the surface. It has also been observed that after spawning the herring 

 goes deeper than previous to it, so that in drag-net fishing most fish are 

 caught in the lower part of the net. In some cases this may be ex- 

 plained by the fact that the herring after spawning seeks to devour the 

 floating roe. According to other reports, however, the herring goes to 

 the surface after spawning and to the deep previous to it. 10 



Several authors, one of them living in the latter half of the last cen- 

 tury ", relate that "fishermen have observed in different places," that 

 the herring at times hides near the bottom ("in the mud, among the 

 alga? and other aquatic plants, as also in holes made by itself both in bays 

 and sounds and farther out at sea"), and it is in this respect compared 

 to the launce, the eel, and the stickleback. 12 Although the herring has 

 certainly been observed occasionally " to bore with its snout among the 

 sand and stones of the bottom," as old authors already have obseived, 

 we are scarcely justified in the supposition that the herring, like the eel, 

 hides on the bottom for any length of time. It is not probable that the 

 herring has a regular period of winter sleep, as some old authors have 

 maintained. 



It is well known that the herring emits air-bubbles, and Gisler has 

 given a description of this phenomenon which we will quote in his own 

 words: "When the herrings are closely huddled together, they breathe 

 heavily, and gape after every breath like a person in a close room ; from 

 the anus a string of small air-bubbles is emitted, whilst water spurts 

 from the mouth. 



The herring is even said to possess the faculty of producing sounds, 

 as the Scotch fishermen say, " squeak," and without sufficient reason, 

 however, it has been said that it breathed its last with an audible sigh or 

 sound. 13 



10 Compare "Bolius lans liafsfisken ochdevetenskapligahafsfiske-undersokniingarna, II, p. 

 34; Nordisk Titlsskrift for Fiskeri, V, p. 209. — Report on the herring fisheries of Scot- 

 land, Loudon, 1878, p. 76. 

 "Dtjhamel DU Moxceau, " Trailv neutral despeches, II, Paris, 1772, section 3, p. 331'. 



12 G. C. Cedestroji, Srenska Ostersjo siU-ocli strommings-fiskerierna naturliistorisk belrak- 

 tade." Stockholm, 1873. Prospectus, p. 7 ; appendix, pp. 4, 12; supplement, p. 1. 



13 Compare F. Buckland, Report on the herring fisheries of Scotland, London, 1878, 

 p. 107. Hugh Miller according to W. Brabazon. The deep-sea and coast fisheries 

 of Ireland, Dublin, 1848, p. 32. P. Neucrantz, " De harengo excrcitatio medica" 

 Lubecre, 1654, p. 23. Valenciennes, " Ristoire naturelU du hareng," Paris, 1847, pp. 

 65, 89. 



