SOME BRITISH SEA FISHES AND FISHING 241 



, the pilchard being almost the same size 

 as harciigns, but rather thicker, its lines of back 

 and belly straighter, its scales larger and fewer, 

 and its dorsal fin further forward. 



Pilchards used to come into the bays near the 

 Cornish seaports, and were captured with the 

 shore seines. 



In 1846, when the late Queen went on a tour 

 round Britain, the Royal yacht put into Falmouth 

 Harbour, and thinking that it would afford Her 

 Majesty some diversion, it was proposed that 

 the royal party should witness the shooting of 

 a seine of pilchards. Her Majesty and Prince 

 Albert embarked in the barge, which was steered 

 by Mr. Alfred Fox, a prominent Quaker of 

 Falmouth, who related the incident to me many 

 years ago. Seated in the extreme stern-sheets 

 of the boat, he had the privilege of being in 

 close proximity to the Queen. After rounding 

 IVndennis Castle, at the entrance of the lovely 

 harbour, they began to encounter the swell of 

 the open channel, and he noticed that the lively 

 movement of the barge seemed to affect Her 

 Majesty to some extent. But the Queen was 

 not to be daunted, and the long row was con- 

 tinued until the fishing-ground of Gyllynvase a 

 small bay at the seaward side of Falmouth 



16 



