AND ANGLING SONGS. 327 



umbrella, out of which, when in a wrecked state, they are 

 usually constructed. From these, which are arranged five or 

 six inches apart along the mainstay, are made to project, busked 

 with white waxed thread upon hog's bristles, five inches in 

 length, small tinned hooks. The series of cross bars may be 

 extended to twelve, in which case twenty-four hooks will be 

 required. It is chiefly in the tinning and size of the wire used, 

 calling forth, as these unquestionably do, the resemblance of 

 some small fish or sea-insect newly started into existence, that 

 the attractive power lies ; and although naturalists of repute 

 have expressed their belief that the food of the herring consists 

 of very minute animalculae, I am satisfied, for my part, of the 

 inclination of this fish to prey upon larger objects when pre- 

 senting themselves. The tinned hook they probably mistake 

 for some small fish, and seize it greedily, under the circum- 

 stances above-mentioned. 



Jiggering for herring is usually carried on at a depth of water 

 varying from eight to twenty fathoms. It is only during calm 

 weather, for an hour or two before sunset, or at sunrise, that it 

 can be pursued with success. 



A curious circumstance, which bears to some extent on the 

 natural history of the herring, was urged upon my attention while 

 amusing myself with the jiggers off Eyemouth. The boat, of 

 which I formed one of the party, had hit upon a shoal of fine 

 herrings, and we had just commenced hauling them in by threes 

 and fours, when suddenly, rounding St. Abb's Head, hove in sight 

 one of the large steamers which ply betwixt G-ranton and Lon- 

 don. Although the vessel itself was at the distance of several 

 miles, the tremor communicated by it had its instantaneous effect 

 upon the fish, which, in ten or twelve fathoms' water, had risen in 

 a body at least one-third of that depth from the bottom. The 

 whole shoal sank immediately, and refused to bite. This, the 

 fishermen who were with me declared, is the invariable effect 



