272 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



appearance of the young or sile, and the matties or 

 maidens, arriving at the spawning period. 



Herrings ready for spawning are termed Mazy in the 

 trade at Yarmouth, and the fish appears to be in this con- 

 dition all through the year at some part of our coasts. 

 Some observers believe that they spawn twice a year, 

 others as positively affirm the contrary, and it is much 

 more probable to suppose that those which are spawning 

 at different times are distinct races or schools. 



The number of eggs which have been found in a single 

 herring has varied from ten to thirty thousand ; when shed 

 it sinks to the bottom of the sea, while along with it is a 

 glairy fluid which enables the ova to adhere to any object 

 with which it may come in contact. Ropes or nets drawn 

 through herring spawn become thickly coated with it, and 

 large quantities are brought on to the decks of fishing 

 boats. Nets set in water where spawn exists in a very 

 short time become treated similarly to what occurs when 

 heavy catches of fish have been made. The locality se- 

 lected is often over rough ground, while sea-weed may be 

 found covered with this adhering spawn. In the Baltic 

 and localities where the water is brackish, or almost fresh, 

 they have been observed to select two or three feet of 

 water for this purpose. It seems highly probable that they 

 deposit their spawn wherever they happen to be, as herrings 

 in which this was exuding were taken at least forty miles 

 out at sea, or in forty to fifty fathoms of water, while it is 

 very attractive to other fish, especially cod. Spawning fish 

 are captured in shore and far out to sea at the same time, 

 while shotten and mazy ones are frequently found together. 



The escape of the young from the eggs either in spring 

 or autumn can be considerably delayed by keeping the water 

 very cold, while its saltness or the reverse exercises no 



