?22 Of the Herring Fishery; 



west, or rather from that part of the horizon whence the 

 hernngs usually come j for in these cases they come sooner 

 and in greater numbers to our coasts. Those winds gene- 

 rally blow from a northern direction j and are the same that 

 bring woodcocks to our coasts ; and therefore it is supposed 

 that the herring season will be good, when there is plenty 

 of woodcocks. 



When a great number of sea birds assemble in any par- 

 ticular place, it is an almost certain sign that there is abun- 

 dance of herrings there. It is also a good sign to catch 

 sea dogs, as they follow the herrings to feed upon them. 

 Another good sign is^ a\ hen the water is agitated to a cer- 

 tain depth ; likewise when there are fat or greasy spots 

 floating like oil upon the sea^ when not much troubled. 



Liohts kept in the fishing boats are rather serviceable 

 than hurtful to the fishery, but great lights coming fronl 

 land drive the fish away* It is also to be observed that the 

 ebbing or flowing of the tide is imn)aterial, but that the 

 greatest quantity of fish is usually caught when the water 

 k smooth i 



Of the Pec tteiririgs, or those taken most darli/ in the 

 Northern Seas hy the Dutch. 



These hcrriilgs are very fat and large ; they arfe delicate 

 and pleasing to the tastc> and are good when salted i but as 

 they are fat and oily it requires much care to preserve them^ 

 and they are never as white as the herrinas that are salted 

 on our coasts. There are but very few shotten ones found 

 amongst them. The greatest part of them have milt or eggs, 

 which are only beginning to be formed; 



Of the Herring Fishery near Shetlandi, 



The Dutch usually set out for this fishery towards the 

 middle of June, but never begin it until the evening of St. 

 John's dav. They do not fish in the day-time, and the 

 manner of fishing there is nearly the same as that of the 

 Yarmouth fishery. The best situation for this north fishery 

 is from the small Island of Fairhill to the north-west of the 

 Orkneys and round Shetland. 



OF THE YARMOUTH FISHERY. 



The Dutch and French carry on this fishery as well as 

 the English; with this difference, however, that they ar6 

 not allowed to come near the coast of England, in the vi- 

 cinity of which the English fish themselves. It is called 

 the Yarmouth fishery, because a great part of the herrings 



that 



