MIGRATION OF HEBRINGS l:M 



Nearly all fishes are to be more or less dreaded by 

 herrings. They fly like troops incessantly harassed 

 by guerilla bands excited to the pursuit. The cod, 

 the tunny, and the shark emulate each other in the 

 destruction of these swarming multitudes, whose 

 propagation would be too rapid if they did not serve 

 as nutriment to the other inhabitants of the seas. 



During many ages the coasts of Norway were the 

 favourite resort of herrings. Thousands of vessels 

 were devoted to the fishery. About the year 1600 

 they migrated towards the German coast, and their 

 fishery enriclied the Hanseatic cities. It is about a 

 hundred years since immense shoals of them visited 

 St. George's Channel. We are equally ignorant of 

 the cause of their arrival and that of their depar- 

 ture. At the present time, mackerel are very 

 abundant on the coast of Norway. May this fact 

 account for the abrupt departure of the herrings? 

 Or is it that the herrings have not found, as in St. 

 George's Channel, a sufficiency of nourishment? 

 However this may be, the celebrated Franklin put 

 to a profitable application the memory of the herring, 

 iind its love for its native place. Of two neighbour- 

 ing rivers, the one was visited by a great number of 

 these fish, whilst none appeared in the other. Frank- 

 lin caused the nets covered with spawn to be taken 

 IVom the one and placed in the other. The herrings 



