42 



FOOD FISHES 



boats go out and let down their nets. Several of these are 

 joined together, making one long meshed wall several hundreds 

 of yards in length. A rope is run through the upper side, 

 and corks and floats are fastened to it, so as to keep this side 

 uppermost; the other side is weighted with lead to keep it 

 down. The nets are shot across the tide and allowed to drift. 

 After a time the fish, swimming against the current, dash 



HERRING BOATS, ABERDEEN 



their heads through the holes, but they cannot withdraw 

 them, for their gill-covers catch in the meshes and hold 

 them fast. 



Millions of herrings are thus caught in the sea every year, 

 yet so great is their number that those caught by fishermen 

 form only one or two per cent, of the total number in the 

 sea. Countless myriads are devoured by sea-birds, by whales, 

 and seals, and dog-fish and cod, and by many another of 

 their numerous enemies. 



And what do herrings themselves live upon ? Besides 



