GREA T BRITAIN. 27 1 



as in the latter species, in which but few are seen on the 

 sides in captured examples. Due to the position of the 

 back fin, fishermen can recognise these two forms by 

 holding them up by the dorsal fin, when the sprat trims 

 by the head, but the herring by the tail. 



That Pennant's was the whitebait of the present time 

 there can be but little doubt, and likewise that it was the 

 young herring. It is also certain that Donovan's figure is 

 that of a young shad, the immature of which, if in sufficient 

 numbers, would do as well as those of the herring or sprat 

 served up as whitebait ; while I certainly possess the 

 young of these last two forms, which I have received as 

 this fish. 



During the summer and autumn of 1872 several hundred 

 small whitebait were imported to Manchester from Colwyn 

 Bay, North Wales. During the first eighteen months of 

 their captivity they grew to at least half the size of a full- 

 grown herring, with which species there was no gainsaying 

 their identity (Zool. 1876, p. 4855). Meyer states his 

 grew only to i^ inches in length in five months. Mr. Sim, 

 of Aberdeen, observes that he found herring fry in the rock 

 pools in great numbers in the months of June and July, all 

 from i-i- to 2\ inches long, and which he concluded were 

 from the March spawning, or four to five months old. 



As these fish augment in size they arrive at maturity, 

 and very conflicting evidence has been adduced respecting 

 the age at which they first breed. Some have believed 

 they do so well within twelve months (De Caux) ; eighteen 

 months has likewise been suggested (Mitchell) ; also that 

 they are approaching the expiry of their second year before 

 they shed their first spawn (Sim). This last supposition 

 appears to me to be probably nearest the truth, taken in 

 conjunction with the rate of growth of the species, the 



