76 t:ie ocean. 



sition, Lut it did not suffice for the thousandth part of 

 the mass, a great proportion of which, notwithstanding 

 some not very successful attempts to carry off a few 

 sloop-loads in bulk, was lost." * 



The Herring appears on our shores in the middle 

 of summer, but seems to approach the coast of Scot- 

 land earlier ; for in Sutherland the fishery commences 

 in June, and in Cromarty even so early as jNIay, 

 while the Yarmouth season rarely begins till Septem- 

 ber. They are taken chiefly by means of drift-nets, 

 and by far the majority are cared : in the first part of 

 the season, however, they are often so rich as to be 

 unfit for salting, and these are sold for consumption 

 while fresh. About the month of November the 

 shoals spawn, and are then unfit for eating, and the 

 fishery ceases. As is universally known, there are 

 two modes of curing this fish, producing what are 

 called white and red herrings. The former requiring 

 only to be placed in barrels with salt, the process can 

 be performed in the fishing-craft ; consequently the 

 vessels for this fishery are larger, being qualified to 

 keep the sea« Eed heixings, however, require a much 

 more elaborate process, which cannot be performed 

 on board, and the procuring of them is essentially a 

 shore fishery. The Yarmouth men confine themselves 

 to this branch. They sprinkle the fish with salt, and 

 lay them in a heap on a stone or brick floor, where 

 they remain about six days ; they are then washed, 

 and spitted one by one on long wooden rods, which 

 pass through the gills ; great care is required that 

 they may not touch each other as they hang ; the 



■* Brit. Naturalist. 



