70 BRITISH FISH AND FISHERIES. 



slioals, the great object being the deposition of 

 the roe or eggs, in places suitable for the deve- 

 lopment of the young. As a general rule, fishes 

 leave the deep water at the breeding season 

 for shallower spots, where the influence of the 

 sun and light extends to the bed of the water ; 

 and when the spawning season is over, they 

 again retire to the deep. The mackerel visits 

 our shores at different times, earlier or later 

 in different parts of the coast. Shoals often 

 appear on the shores of Hampshire and Sussex 

 in March, or even the early part of February ; 

 but the great harvest is in May and June. At 

 Hastings, it is observed that the shoals of 

 mackerel follow in the train of clouds of small 

 fish, called the mackerel mint, which Mr. Yar- 

 rell suspects to be the young of the sprat. On 

 these, and on the fry of other fish, the mackerel 

 subsists. 



The arrival of the mackerel shoals produces 

 no little bustle and excitement in the various 

 fishing-towns of our coast — every boat's crew 

 strives to be the foremost in exertion, for 

 the first cargoes are of the highest value. All 

 is animation — the arrivals and departures of 

 boats give life to the port, nor are the men on 

 shore less occupied and active than the fisher- 

 men in the offing. The following extract from 



