37 



white water were poured into the sea down many small 

 streams in the county, and that might have some effect, 

 though he did not suppose it was the chief cause of the 

 disappearance, because the same sudden disappearance had 

 been noticed in France. He recently came across a letter 

 received in 1879 from a friend in France, who spoke 

 of the sudden appearance there of the sardines in great 

 abundance, though for more than twenty years there had 

 been a great scarcity. The abundance which had generally 

 prevailed since had shown large occasional fluctuations. 

 He trusted that many other gentlemen in Cornwall would 

 follow Mr. Cornish's example, and make a study of the 

 movements of this and other fish with a view to the 

 practical encouragement of those very important industries. 

 The resolution having been carried unanimously 

 Mr. CORNISH said he did not think the china clay had 

 much to do with the disappearance of fish, because it had 

 been noticed that they still remained in localities where that 

 water and also mineral water ran into the sea. They would 

 require to watch them still more closely for some time to 

 find out the reason for those movements. 



The MARQUIS OF EXETER then proposed a vote of thanks 

 to the Chairman for presiding. Mr. Cornish had alluded 

 to three kinds of mackerel, one of which, the green, was 

 unwholesome ; and he was glad to hear the explanation, 

 because not long ago his crew, who were Irish, came one 

 morning and said they were all very bad from eating 

 mackerel that had been in the moonlight. He concluded 

 that it was this green mackerel. He had oftentimes en- 

 joyed the pleasure of fishing off the Cornish coast, and had 

 always met with the greatest kindness from fishermen and 

 others ; and he could recommend any one who wanted a 

 good fishing ground where they could catch all manner of 



