164 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



even been made to prove that the sun produces considerable periodical 

 changes in the weather by the regularly changing number of the solar 

 spots. The moon, on the other hand, exercises an important influence 

 through the difference of light which her changes produce,^^ through 

 the tides i^egulated by her, and the different currents occasioned by the 

 tide, which are chiefly caused by the attraction of the earth. In this 

 last-mentioned respect the sun exercises a similar but weaker influence, 

 which more or less modifies that of the moon. 



10. As regards the influence of sound on the herring, it is well known 

 how easily it is frightened by any unusual noise. There is no doubt that 

 the sense of hearing is not very strongly developed in the herring, 

 although the old opinion, which was held even by Linne, that fish are 

 entirely deaf, has long since been proved to be erroneous. The herring 

 generally returns immediately to the place from which a sudden noise had 

 scared it away. It has also been sufficiently proved that it is highly im- 

 probable that a long-continued noise may drive the herrings away from 

 places which they have been in the habit of visiting from time imme- 

 morial. But even quite recently it has again been maintained that such 

 has been the case, and steamboats, men-of-war, fortresses, fishermen, 

 coopers, &c., have been accused of having by noise brought the herring- 

 fisheries in some places to a premature end ; but no satisfactory proof 

 for any such assertions has ever been brought forward. The herrings 

 have disappeared from places where the thunder of cannon has never 

 been heard, and where no steamboats have ever come, whilst they have 

 continued to make their appearance in localities where steamboats and 

 the shooting of guns were frequent. As far as steamboats are concerned 

 we may specially mention the mouth of the Thames, the Firth of Forth, 

 the Sound, the Great Belt, &c. It is certain that thunder causes the 

 herrings to go to so great a depth that they cannot be reached with 

 the common fishing-implements, which will be further proved below by 

 facts; and a violent cannouade may, of course, have the same effect. It 

 is well known that a strong wind blowing towards the coast often hinders 

 or interrui:>ts the approach of the herrings, but it is scarcely probable 

 that the roaring of the waves when dashing against the rocks produces 

 the same effect. 



11. Eegarding the influence of electricity, we still are without the neces- 

 sary observations on which any certain opinions might be based. It has 

 been known from olden times that during a thunder-storm the herrings 

 seek the deep water, but so far it is impossible to say whether this action 

 is caused by the thunder, the glare of the lightning, the electricity itself, 

 or aU these influences combined. Valenciennes says that the herrings 

 become violently excited by thunder, and that newly-hatched herrings 



2S There is a deeply rooted conviction among the fishermen that the changes of the 

 moon exercise a most decided influence on the mode of life and the migrations of the 

 herring. In examining the different opinions entertained by fishermen, it was found, 

 however, that all this supposed influence may he reduced to the few above-mentioned 

 cases, and that it is by no means very important. 



