THE SMELT. 883 



my line at a time, and each hook with a parr at it. The 

 largest parr which I have seen scarcely measured eight 

 inches ; it is even rare to meet with them seven inches in 

 length. The parr inhabits the Annan, Ribble, and Tweed, 

 and Western Islands, in Scotland ; the Thames, in England; 

 the Laleham in Wales, and the LifFej in Ireland. 



THE SMELT, 



This is one of the smallest of the migratory fishes, and 

 seems almost exclusively confined to the eastern and western 

 coasts of Great Britain. The Frith of Forth, Solway Frith, 

 and the Tay, are its resorts in Scotland ; the Thames, the 

 Humber, the Med way, the Mersey, the Dee, and the Conway, 

 in England ; and Dublin Bay, Ireland. 



There are two modes of fishing smelts : one of these is on 

 the sandy, shallow shores of the sea, on the eastern coast, 

 more especially in Lincolnshire, where large quantities are 

 taken in spring ; the other is the river-fishing within the 

 tide's- way. In the Thames and Medway they are taken 

 with a smaller-meshed net, by permission of the Lord-mayor 

 of London, from the 28th of August until Good Friday. 



The smelt is also angled with very small fly-hooks, and in 

 fine weather are taken very rapidly, sometimes many dozens 

 in a forenoon. The smelt has been successfully kept in 

 ponds, where they have propagated, and become well fed, 

 and preserved their natural rushy flavour for which they 

 are so remarkable. The smelt of England is the sparling 

 and spirling of Scotland. 



This fish inhabits fresh water from August until May. 

 After spawning in March or the beginning of April, they re- 

 turn to the sea. The fry are found about three inches long 

 in the month of August. They are said to feed on shrimps. 



