GREA T BRITAIN. 295 



cleaned, the dry salt is removed by a sieve, they are sub- 

 sequently washed and packed in regular order in 5O-gallon 

 casks, the fishes' tails being directed to the centre. Pressure 

 is now made by means of levers, to which weights are hung, 

 the casks being refilled and pressed three times during nine 

 days. A hogshead should weigh 476 lb., while the number 

 of fish in each cask vary from 2500 to 3000. All fish 

 under 8 inches in length are excluded. (Fox.) 



Sardines are prepared at Mevagissey as follows : Imme- 

 diately the fish are landed they are taken to the factory 

 and cleaned ; then the washers arrange them in light trays 

 head downwards to drain and dry. They are next boiled, 

 then packed in tin boxes, which are filled up with the best 

 live oil, and subsequently soldered down. , These tins are 



am boiled, and the fish are ready for the market. 



An experiment made to smoke them like herrings failed, 



the weight of the body caused the fish to give way and 



1 into the fire. 



Breeding. Off the coast of Cornwall Mr. Dunn observed 

 that it appears to breed at two seasons of the year, May and 

 June, also in December, and the young are first seen in 

 September 3 or 4 inches in length, and about one-eighth of 

 an ounce in weight. On January i6th, 1882, these fish 

 were returning to the bays shotten, and one boat took 

 6000. Couch placed the winter breeding as commencing 

 as early as October, but this of course would vary with 

 the temperature of the season. I opened large numbers 

 in the month of August, but in only one single instance 

 did I find developed spawn. The pilchard deposits about 

 60,000 eggs, and falls off in condition as spawning time is 

 approached. 



Off Mevagissey they have seldom been observed to 

 spawn within 10 miles of land, usually from 20 to 30 





