GREA T BRITAIN. 247 



Means of capture. Off our coasts they are mostly taken 

 by chance in drift-nets or seines employed for the capture 

 of sand-eels and other small fishes, their size enabling them 

 to escape through the meshes of the nets, which are 

 generally employed in localities which they frequent. In 

 the Mediterranean they are fished for from May until July. 

 Dark nights are selected, and each boat carries a torch to 

 attract the fish, or a light is floated for this purpose. The 

 shoals are encircled by small meshed nets, while the 

 fishermen splash the water and endeavour to frighten the 

 shoals, which rush headlong into the meshes of the net. 



Breeding. I have received them full of -spawn in June, 

 -om Lancashire. Couch observes that they spawn from 

 September until December, while in the Mediterranean 

 teir breeding time is said to be from May until July. 

 As food it is rarely eaten fresh, being bitter in taste, and 

 >r. They are, however, prepared, and esteemed an 

 :cellent relish. Anchovies may be prepared by drawing 

 the head of the fish and removing the viscera. They 

 not washed or wiped, but packed into small casks of 

 Ib. to 20 Ib. weight, in layers alternately with a mixture 

 )f two ounces of Prunella salts (saltpetre deprived of its 

 rater of crystallisation by heat). They should be well 

 pressed down and the air excluded. Anchovy sauce is 

 made by bruising the fish and simmering it with butter 

 over a slow fire ; a little vinegar and flour are added, and 

 the fish dissolves in the process. 



Habitat. From Norway and the Baltic and North Sea 

 along both coasts of France, but more abundant on the 

 Mediterranean side ; the Iberian Peninsula, through the 

 Mediterranean to the Black Sea. 



It has been taken at Wick (Peach) ; Yorkshire (York- 

 shire Vertebrata) ; Yarmouth, rare (Turner) ; frequently 



