fcOMMON HERRLYG. 



poses. For these and other reasons Dr. Bloch is 

 inclined to believe the long voyage of the Herring 

 to exist only in the minds of its describers. 



Among the principal enemies of this fish may be 

 numbered the various species of Whales*, some of 

 which are observed to pursue large shoals, and to 

 swallow them in such quantities, that in the stomach 

 of a single whale no less than six hundred herrings 

 are said to have been found. Besides the whale, 

 various species of marine birds of prey are per- 

 petually assailing them either on the water or from 

 above. The Herring itself is supposed to feed 

 principally on sea-insects and the smaller kind of 

 marine worms. 



Exclusive of the various methods of preparing 

 this fish for sale in different countries, a great 

 quantity of oil is drawn from it, forming a great 

 and important commercial article among the north- 

 ern nations, and particularly among the Swedes. 



* Particularly a Whale called the Nord-Caper, a very swift 

 animal of the Ore tribe. 



