2 9 o THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



might hold good at certain periods, but, as such could only 

 be temporary, it would not account for any steady yearly 

 decrease in the takes. 



Pilchards taken off the south-west coast of Great Britain 

 are larger and fatter than such as are captured in the 

 Mediterranean in the opinion of most foreign fishermen 

 who have plied their occupation in both localities ; but 

 along the Devonshire and Cornish coasts they are much 

 more abundant in certain years than they are in others, 

 while Mr. Dunn has remarked at Mevagissey that in seasons 

 of plenty three gallons of oil are obtainable from every 

 hogshead of fish, whereas in bad seasons, the fish being 

 few, only about one gallon of oil can be extracted from 

 the same quantity. In this computation, the summer shoals 

 alone are alluded to, as during the winter months the 

 yield is hardly more than half what it is in the warmer 

 times of the year. This must force the inquiry of, Why is 

 it that when pilchards are few, or the weather cold, they 

 yield less oil ? for, if the food were invariably the same, or 

 present in sufficient quantities, a natural conclusion would 

 be that a smaller army of fish would find more sustenance 

 for each individual which formed its component parts, and 

 consequently they ought to be in a better condition. It 

 may be put down to disease, debility, or a diminution 

 in the food supply. If disease were the cause, it is 

 most probable that the fishermen would observe some, at 

 least, of its symptoms or effects in their captures, whereas 

 none has been noted. 



The amount taken of the summer fish is not an invariable 

 index to the quantity present, but more depending upon 

 the course they select ; for, if they keep in deep water, they 

 avoid the seines ; and should they swim low, they escape 

 the drift-nets. 



