LJUNGMAN HERRING'S MODE OF LIFE. 513 



wards the circumference. The Bohuslan fishermen say that the herrings 

 are " milling," and the Dutch fishermen say they are "grinding." 



Gisler says that the herrings, especially during the spawning season, 

 push against each other with such violence that many of their scales 

 come off and float about near the surface. This phenomenon has also 

 been observed by the Bohus Ian fishermen. 



Owing to outward causes the herring schools swim at very different 

 depths under the surface, and at times even rise to the surface, which 

 they do more frequently when out at sea than when near the coast. The 

 herrings have thus been observed immediately after the close of the 

 spawning process to rise to the surface and remain there for some 

 time, quietly floating about with a scarcely perceptible movement ; in 

 clear weather the herrings may often be observed sporting about near 

 the surface and beating the water with their dorsal fins, producing quite 

 a shower of spray. British fishermen call this " the play of the herrings," 

 and French fishermen, "lejeu ties harengsf and the same name is given 

 to it by our Bohus Ian fishermen, 17 although the word "7e7v" (play) is 

 used by them in a different sense from the one employed by Swedish 

 naturalists. When the herrings are thus joyfully sporting about in the 

 water it is considered as a favorable sign for the fisheries. 



The small herrings may also at times be seen moving about quickly 

 near the surface and beating the water with their dorsal fins. 



On the Stockholm coast 18 the herrings are said to "bathe" in the still 

 water, which expression is probably intended to describe a gentle move- 

 ment of the herring when hunting for small crustaceans. C. J. Sundevall 

 describes this peculiarity of the herring and some other fish as follows : 

 " Bathing fish so called are schools of fish which in summer keep near the 

 surface to enjoy the warmth of the sun. This term is very expressive, 

 and we recommend its adoption." 



17 See Nordisk Tidsskrift for Fiskeri, v, p. 211. 



18 C. J. Sundevall, Siockhohns lans Kgl. Hushdllnings-Sdllskaps Handlingar, vi, pp. 

 64, 96, 1*26. H. Widegrex, Nagra ord om sillfiske, Stockholvi, 1871, p. 3; Tidsskrift for 

 Fiskeri, vi, p. 66. 



S. Miss. 59 33 



