THE HERRING FAMILY. 1^7 



common American Shad. This well-known species com- 

 mences its entrance into our rivers, at periods varying from 

 January to May, according to the latitude. It penetrates all 

 the Atlantic streams, and when unobstructed by dams or 

 other impediments, travels to a considerable distance from 

 the mouth for the purpose of depositing its spawn. They 

 are taken in great numbers, especially in Chesapeake and 

 Delaware Bays, by various means, the most conspicuous of 

 which are large seines and gill-nets. The price varies from 

 five to fifty dollars per hundred, according to the abundance 

 or size. As already remarked, various Herrings occur in 

 immense numbers. Conspicuous among European species, 

 in this respect, is the Sprat, Sarengula sprattus ; but vastly 

 more so the common Herring, Clupea harengus. The true 

 abode of the immense hordes of Herring is not, even at this 

 iay, definitely ascertained, the fish being scarcely known, 

 except in its wanderings. Some naturalists suppose it to 

 come from the high north to deposit its spawn upon the 

 shores of the North Sea ; others, again, consider the bottom 

 of the North Sea to be its home, since it is first visible at the 

 Shetland Islands in April. Here myriads of Herrings com- 

 bine into armies many miles in length, and then pass on to 

 the coasts of Norway, England Germany, and the Nether- 

 lands. From the main army, branches go ofi" in various 

 directions, supplying almost the whole coast of Europe, and 

 possibly extend their migrations even to the northern coast 

 of North America. They have never been seen to return to 

 the north, and their migrations themselves occur neither at 

 perfectly regular intervals nor in the same direction. The 

 density of the columns also varies much in different parts of 

 the army. In some seasons the numbers are countless, in 

 others very limited ; at one time the individuals will be fat 

 and large, at another very lean. By the end of August they 



