CHAPTER VI 

 MIGRATION OF FISH 



THE phenomenon of migration 

 among birds has engaged the atten- 

 tion of mankind ever since White 

 dealt with it in his History of Selborne. 

 Migration of fish, although of much greater 

 importance to commerce, has not yet re- 

 ceived the attention which the subject 

 merits. Fish move about at different seasons 

 on a system which is more or less certain. 

 A knowledge of these periodic migrations is 

 essential to successful operations in fishing ; 

 for a change in direction, or a failure of the 

 annual migration, would make a difference 

 of millions of pounds to the industry. The 

 instinct of migration in the herring is in- 

 herited, and neither smell, sight, nor 

 hearing can be proved to account for this 

 instinct. Their sense of direction is un- 

 failing. Every year they pursue the same 



