288 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



same river by persons standing on Totnes Bridge, which is 

 twelve miles from the sea, pursued by an otter ; the pil- 

 chard leaped on the bank and was secured.* 



They will eat the roe of the cod or ling voraciously, also 

 crumbs of bread. Off the French coast, salted fish roe, mostly 

 of the cod, but also of the mackerel mixed with the pounded 

 flesh of that fish is employed to attract pilchards. It is 

 termed resure, rave, or more commonly rogue, and is largely 

 brought from Norway, more especially from Drontheim. 

 The fishermen say that they have seen pilchards in multi- 

 tudes quiescent at the bottom of the sea, as if examining 

 with their mouths the sand and small stones in the shallow 

 water, and probably hunting for food, the largest fish, 

 similar to the mackerel, being furthest out to sea. Mr. Fox, 

 some years since, observed that a hogshead of pilchards is 

 376 Ibs. gross and 340 Ibs. net. Summer fish run 3000 to 

 3600 per hogshead, and winter fish 2400 to 2800. Mr. Dunn 

 found that at Mevagissey pilchards of late years have 

 averaged, from August 1st to November 1st, from 3300 to 

 3800 per hogshead. 



Migrations. These fish are found off the coast of Corn- 

 wall and Devonshire throughout the year. In January 



* In 'Natural History of Ireland' (1755, p. 192) exists an extract 

 from a letter from the Arch'bishop of Dublin, wherein he observes : 

 " There was a good fishery of pilchards on the south coast of Ireland 

 before the year 1688 ; but since the fight in Bantry Bay between some 

 of the English fleet, under Sir George Rook, and the French in 1689, 

 the pilchards, I understand, have not been on that coast ; the reason 

 of their leaving it is supposed to be the shock given by the firing of 

 guns ; and it was observed that some gentlemen, having provided a 

 yacht for their pleasure, and firing their guns frequently in the Bay of 

 Dublin, the herring fishery in the Bay failed entirely that season." 

 Couch observes, that the firing of a heavy gun at the distance of 

 twenty miles has been known to cause the fish to sink, and thus 

 disappoint the labour of the fishermen.* 





