282 FISHES. 



soon as they are large enough to take a fly, they are caught in 

 large numbers in the autumn evenings, sometimes as many as 

 400 in an afternoon. 



"As winter advances the sillocks become more and more 

 torpid, till especially if the weather be frosty they gather in 

 dense masses, remain about the same spot, and will not take a 

 fly. At this time they rapidly fall off in condition, and immense 

 quantities are taken with sweep-nets for manure. They do not, 

 however, gather into the bays in this manner every season, a 

 heavy gale on shore in autumn sending the shoal out to sea, and 

 if once broken up (at Swanbister at least) they do not return 

 in any quantity during the winter. By May, Sillocks appear to 

 change their name to ' Cutties ' (the u is modified as in German), 

 and are taken with fly through the summer. Afterwards they 

 become Saithe. Oil used to be made from their livers." 



Coal-fish are caught in great quantities with long lines, and 

 brought into Kirkwall along with the Cod, Ling, etc. 



Merluccius vulgaris, Flem. Hake. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle says the Hake is common, coming with the 

 shoals of Herring. 



Molva vulgaris, Flem. Ling. 



One of the commonest of the genus in Orkney, and seems always 

 to command a good price. It is generally salted, and not used 

 in a fresh state ; and where it is suitable for drying purposes, 

 the beach in such localities is white, covered as it is to such a 

 large extent with the bodies of Ling, Cod, Tusk, etc., drying in 

 the sun and wind. The beach for such a purpose requires to be 

 covered with smooth more or less rounded stones, of fairly large 

 and equal size, to allow the wind to circulate underneath the 

 fish. Such places are the Peerie Sea, at Kirkwall ; Pierowall 

 Bay in Westray ; the islands opposite Stromness ; and the 

 north-west end of Veira. Some of these drying-places have 

 been used as such for a great length of time. 



