THE SALT-WATER FISHERIES OF BOHUSLAN. 171 



II we examine the observations made in different places, we shall 

 soon find that one and the same wind will exercise a different influence, 

 just according as in one place it blows from and in another place towards 

 the coast. It is, for instance, reported from the Firth of Forth that during 

 the winter of 1863 unusually long-continued westerly {i. e., land-) winds 

 hindered the small herrings from going to their usual places in the inner 

 portion of the fiord, and caused some of them to seek shelter near the 

 Granton breakwater, in the middle portion of the fiord. Fishing was 

 consequently not very successful, whilst during the more severe winter 

 of 1866 violent land-winds drove the herrings and small herrings far up 

 into the fiord. As in that region land-wind is more common during a 

 severe winter, such a winter is generally considered more favorable to 

 the fisheries than a mild one, just the contrary from what it is in Bohus- 

 liin, where westerly wind and consequent milder temperature and higher 

 water are decidedly more favorable to the fisheries than land-wind with 

 cold temperature and low water. The same difference will become ap- 

 parent when we compare Bohusliin with Norrland. 



By combining all the observations made in different places, we get 

 a small number of general axioms regarding the influence of the wind 

 on those herrings which come to the coast for the purpose of spawn- 

 ing, and these would be the following : Sea- wind is favorable to the fish- 

 eries, as it causes the herrings to seek the coast ; violent storms compel 

 the herrings to seek deep water or shelter in the calmer fiords, but a 

 brisk sea- wind is generally favorable. Small herrings often seem to 

 seek shelter near the land, and in Bohuslan it has been observed near 

 Hisingen that in summer during easterly wind the young herrings like ta 

 go towards the mouth of the river. As regards the Skagerack herring 

 fisheries, it must not be forgotten that in judging of the influence of the 

 wind one must take into consideration its direction and force, not only 

 near the coast of Bohuslan but also out in the North Sea. In order to 

 form a correct judgment it will therefore be necessary to have synoptic 

 observations of the wind to refer to, and not to forget that the effect 

 frequently will not be noticed till long after the cause. 



We furthermore possess different observations and opinions about the 

 influence of the wind on the herrings, which are of a less certain and 

 scientific character, and of which we do not know whether they have 

 been gathered during those fisheries when spawners were caught, or 

 during those fisheries when only fish coming to the coast for food 

 were caught, or from both. We finally possess some data concerning 

 the direct influence of storms on the herrings, for example, that "im- 

 mediately after a storm they keep near the surface, and are actually giddy 

 and so weak that some are cast on shore or come near the land," and, " after 

 the lapse of a few days, if the storm continues, get quite soft, as if their 

 flesh was melting" {GisJer)-, that storm compels the herrings to keep 

 closer together, and that a violent storm tends to mix the herrings and 

 the small herrings, whilst otherwise they always k§ep in separate schools. 



