74 The Sea and River Herring. 



spent sea-herrings are seldom met with. Improved in condition 

 after temporary sojourn around the coast, presumably they 

 rejoin seaAvards the retiring shoals of their brethren in the 

 North Sea. The conclusion to be drawn from the preceding 

 seems to be that these sea-herrings begin spawning in early 

 November, the maximum by the end of that month and till 

 mid-December. Then comes a falling off, and late ones may 

 continue to the end of January, after which only spent fish 

 are met with. The size of these fish which approach our 

 shores apparently ranges from about 9 to close on 15 inches. 



(6.) The Estuarine or River Herring of the Leigh fishermen 

 are usually recognised at a glance, partly from being of smaller 

 dimensions than the sea-herring, but more particularly by their 

 general shape. Contrasted with the North Sea fish they are 

 shorter and relatively deeper bodied. As the fishermen express 

 it they are of a snugger build with a small head and altogether 

 plumper shape. Inasmuch as our observations trend, there 

 seems to be no difference in the numbers of the fin -rays from 

 those of the sea-herring, nor could we detect any trenchant dis- 

 tinction in the position of the dorsal to the anal fin, or to the 

 length of body, &c. Such combination of characters in herring 

 are insisted on by Heincke, a German naturalist,* to denote 

 racial differences. Our comparisons thereon have certainly 

 been more limited than Heiiicke's or of Matthews'f examinations 

 of the summer and winter herring of Scotland ; but the results, 

 nevertheless, incline us to the latter's opinion of the difficulty 

 of assigning variations sufficient to positively base race 

 character on. 



Yet, on the other hand, race or breed has an elastic source 

 in physiological functions (e.g., nutrition and reproduction) 



* Dr. Heincke's researches " Die Varietaten des Herings" are altogether of an 

 elaborate nature. His earlier memoirs in 2 parts with illustrations were published in 

 1877 and 1882 respectively, in the Bericht der Commis.-Untersuch, deutsch meere (Rep. 

 German Sea Fisheries Commission, in Kiel), which we have duly consulted. Since 

 then he has issued another work " Naturgeschichte des Herings" (Nat. Hist, of 

 Herrings), which unfortunately we have not seen. But an excellent Review of this 

 by Mr. Kyle, has appeared in the 17th Ann. Rep. S.F.B. for 1898. 



t " Variety among the Herrings of the Scottish Coasts." Append. 5th Ann. Rep. 

 S.F.B. for 1886. 



