22 



WHITEBAIT. 



[CHAP. i. 



fish will be able to repeat the story of their birth. These points 

 once known and they are most essential to the proper under- 

 standing of the economy of our fisheries the chief remaining 

 questions connected with fishing industry would be of com- 

 paratively easy solution, and admit of our regulating the power 

 of capture to the natural conditions of supply. 



As another example of our ignorance of fish life, I may 

 instance that diminutive member of the Clupea family the 



WHITEBAIT GROUND NEAR QUEENSFERRY. 



whitebait. This fish, which is so much better known gastro- 

 nomically than it is scientifically, was thought at one time to 

 be found only in the Thames, but it is much more generally 

 diffused than is supposed. It is found for certain, and in 

 great plenty, in three rivers viz., the Thames, the Forth, and 

 the Hamble. I have also seen it taken out of the Humber, 

 not far from Hull, and have heard of its being caught near the 

 mouth of the Deveron, on the Moray Firth ; and likewise of 



