Migration of the Herring and Mackerel 319 



The herrino-s generally disappear in this part of the Channel 

 about the beo-inning of December, and during their transit along 

 this coast, are subject, as well as the mackerel, to a very for- 

 midable enemy in the dog-fish, which have greatly encreased 

 within the last thirty years. One column of herrings may be 

 assailed with these in great numbers, while other columns may 

 be without them. The fishermen, however, consider the dog- 

 fish too constant in their attendance on these occasions, as they 

 frequently know to their cost, from having their nets greatly 

 injured by their quick-cutting teeth. 



The dog-fish, like the shark, turns on its side when it seizes 

 its prey, and greatly resembles that ravenous fish in many re- 

 spects ; and whenever it finds itself entangled in the net, dis- 

 engages itself in a few seconds, by making a large incision, and 

 passes through, liberating probably many herrings at the same 

 time. 



The dog-fish, in attacking the herrings, devour them to re- 

 pletion. They then disgorge what they have swallowed with 

 such voracity, which being completed, they lose no time in re- 

 commencing seizing and swallowing the herrings with as much 

 avidity as if it had been their first repast after a long absti- 

 nence, "till they are again full, when their stomachs are again 

 speedily relieved, and this tilling and emptying has continued 

 with such perseverance as to exhaust the patience of the most 

 curious observer. This process, when cai-ried on by numbers 

 of the dog-fish about the nets, occasions a white shining ap- 

 pearance on the surface of the sea, accompanied with a smooth- 

 ness, as if a quantity of oil had been strewed on it, emitting a 

 rank oleaginous smell, which may be detected at some dis- 

 tance. 



An idea may be formed of the numbers of the dog-fish which 

 too frequently visit this part of the Channel, when it is stated, 

 that, in the latter end of October, in the year 1827, some fisher- 

 men proceeded to a small sand-bank, which is situated about 

 four miles to the eastward of Hastings, and two miles from the 

 land, in quest of cod-fish, and for this purpose shot lines, to 

 which four thousand hooks were attached, over the ground. 

 These, at the expiration of about half an hour, were examined, 



Y 2 



