398 FISHES. 



ponderating in summer, the sprats in winter. Other fry 

 are usually found in the dish, especially those of flat-fish, 

 gurnards, and sand-eels. As already mentioned, these fish 

 are mostly taken for the market in the drift-net, as they 

 comparatively seldom find their way into the trawl. In 

 some parts there is a regular spring hook-fishery for her- 

 ring, when they will take bare hooks jigged among the 

 shoal. 



The smaller Sprat differs from the herring in several im- 

 portant particulars, as, for example, in the serrated edge 

 of the belly, the origin of the dorsal fin lying 

 nearer the tail, and absence of teeth. In 

 colour, the sprat is grey and silver. It spawns on our 

 south-west coast between January and April; on the 

 Scottish coast from April to July (Cunningham). The 

 egg, unlike that of the herring, floats. The young fish 

 enter largely, as already pointed out, into the composition 

 of "Whitebait," especially in winter. At a still earlier 

 stage they are the "Brit," much harassed by gulls and 

 mackerel. 



Another important fish, characterised by a rounded 

 body, keel-edged belly, large scales, dorsal fin farther for- 

 Pilchard ward than in either of the foregoing, and the 

 or Sardine, presence of small teeth in the jaws, is the 

 Pilchard. In colour, this fish is deep green above, shading 

 to silver below. When one considers the vexed question 

 of the identity of the pilchard and sardine, memory recalls 

 the school exercises in elementary logic : " All pilchards 

 are sardines, but all sardines are not pilchards " ; the fact 

 being that, for the inferior brands at all events, young 

 herrings and sprats are also pressed into the service. 

 The true sardine is, however, a young pilchard. Although 

 the British pilchard-fishery is practically confined to the 

 south-west coast, it is not to be supposed that this fish 

 does not occur farther east. I have myself met with it 



