THE HERRING. 



Empty, virgin, and full herrings. 



coasts, there appears in the spring a small kind 

 of herring that has just spawned; in summer a 

 larger kind succeeds, which in autumn is follow- 

 ed by a smaller species which is just ready to 

 spawn. Therefore these three kinds are deno- 

 minated by the Dutch dealers, empty herrings, 

 virgin herrings, and full herrings. The first are 

 such as have spawned in the spring, the last 

 spawn in autumn and winter, whereas the virgin 

 herrings spawn in summer. It is ascertained that 

 the fish of seas and lakes, which pass in spring 

 into the rivers, do not return till autumn to their 

 usual place of abode. The same is doubtless the 

 case with herrings, and this is the cause of their 

 dispersion in winter. It is likewise possible that 

 the herring, which is a small sea fish, spawns 

 more than once a year, like several small river 

 fish. Nature employs different means for attain- 

 ing the same end : thus, a* the small fish often 

 become the prey of the larger kinds, it is neces- 

 sary that the former should multiply much faster 

 than the latter; and this end is answered by their 

 more frequent reproduction. The same observa- 

 tion has been made respecting small birds, and 

 several other species of animals. This prodigious 

 multiplication has induced some writers to ima- 

 gine that this fish breeds beneath the ice of the 

 Arctic ocean ; but when we reflect on the im- 

 mense space assigned to the herring for its abode, 

 we shall not be surprised' at the prodigious quan- 

 tity of these aoiinals, and their extra.ordjpary 



