THE HERRING FISHERIES. 7 



fish are 3 or 4 inches long, and are full-grown herrings in 

 about a year and a half. Any information on the latter 

 point would also be extremely useful. It would dissipate 

 some doubts as to when the operation of spawning is per- 

 formed for the first time by the young herring. 



After all, it must be confessed with regret that our 

 knowledge of the natural history of the herring is ex- 

 ceedingly limited. It has been thought that we may learn 

 a good deal from those whose vocation it is to catch them. 

 That, however, is very far from being the case. The 

 ignorance among the fishermen of the habits of the herring 

 is certainly not very flattering to our insular pride. That 

 it betrays a want of observation on their part, or incapacity 

 to connect their observations with their occupation, cannot 

 be denied. Perhaps the remedy might be found in erecting 

 schools for fisher-boys, where the young generation might 

 learn something of elementary Natural History that might 

 act as an incentive to further observation of animated 

 nature. The aim of all knowledge should be to apply it to 

 the affairs of our eve ry-day life. 



A study of the fisheries of other countries is always 

 interesting, and often instructive. We may in this way 

 often learn methods of capture and curing, that may be pro- 

 fitably followed by ourselves ; and we may also gather fresh 

 facts concerning the natural history of the fish. It is but 

 fitting to commence with a reference to the Dutch fisheries. 

 We cannot help feeling a respect and admiration for a 

 people who once possessed the finest fisheries in the world. 

 We recall with envy the picture of their former superiority, 

 a superiority which has long since passed away. The 

 naturalists tell us that their superiority was owing to their 

 fishing on our coasts in our absence on other matters. 

 Whether that was the case or not we cannot say ; but 



