CLL 



CLU 



gill-membrane eight-rayed ; gills setace- 

 ous internally; abdomen sharp, and gene- 

 rally serrated ; body compressed, elon- 

 gated, and covered with moderate scales; 

 ventral fins often nine-rayed ; tail forked. 

 There are fifteen species, according to 

 Gmelin, and according to Shaw, nineteen; 

 of which the most deserving of notice 

 are, C. harengus, or the common herring. 

 This fish does not appear to have been 

 known by the Greeks and Romans, or: at 

 least to have attracted from them any 

 particular attention. In modern times it 

 constitutes an important article of com- 

 merce, and the herring fishery has for 

 ages been considered as an important 

 field for national industry, and a source 

 of national wealth. Even in the twelfth 

 century the Dutch were much occupied 

 in taking herrings, and preserved a sort 

 of monopoly on this subject for several 

 ages. The art of pickling them was 

 discovered in Flanders. The Dutch are 

 uncommonly partial to the pickled her- 

 ring, and on the arrival of the first ves- 

 sel in port, laden with this article, resort 

 to it wfth all the ardour of impatience and 

 competition. This first vessel also is enti- 

 tled to a considerable premium. The 

 term lierring is derived from a German 

 word, meaning an army, and well express- 

 es t!e immense multitude of this fish, 

 which, after wintering within the arctic 

 seas, where insect food abounds fully to 

 the extent of their immense demands, 

 direct their course in spring towards the 

 south. In April they are generally seen 

 off the isles of Shetland, and their pro- 

 gress is marked by the flocks of birds 

 which accompany them, and prey upon 

 them. There are, in general, several 

 columns of this mighty host, extending 

 about five miles in length arid three in 

 breadth, and reflecting, by their advance 

 to the very surface of the water, that 

 pearly lustre and lively variety of colour, 

 which, in clear weather, give to the spec- 

 tacle extraordinary interest. From the 

 isles of Shetland they divide to the east- 

 ern and western shores of Great Britain ; 

 in the former case passing through the 

 English Channel, after visiting every gulf 

 and creek within its limits; in the latter, 

 visiting the coast of Ireland, and furnish- 

 ing the inhabitants with a cheap and valu- 

 able article of subsistence. Some natu- 

 ralists, however, have doubted of the ex- 

 tensive migrations ascribed to the her- 

 ring, and consider the time allotted for 

 its accomplishment as totally inadequate 

 for this purpose. They suppose them in 

 winter to shelter themselves in the pro- 



found retreats of the ocean, and amidst 

 its soft and muddy bottoms, near those 

 very shores, in their approach to which 

 they are first seen in spring. The food 

 of the herring consists chiefly of sea in- 

 sects and worms, and itself becomes food 

 not only, as before intimated, to various 

 birds, who follow their track with unceas- 

 ing vigilance and voracity, but to innu- 

 merable fishes also : of these the whale 

 is its most formidable enemy, and thins 

 its columns with the most destructive and 

 consuming havock. 



The C. pilchardus, or the pilchard. 

 This is somewhat smaller than the last ; 

 its scales also are larger; and its body is 

 thicker, rounder, and more oily. It 

 abounds in the summer months on the 

 coast of Cornwall ; and in the port of St. 

 Ives nearly two hundred and fifty mil- 

 lions were once enclosed by a single 

 draught. The supply of this fish being 

 very frequently far superior to any regu- 

 lar demand, it has in some cases been em- 

 ployed merely as manure, for which it is 

 found admirably applicable. 



C. alosa, or shad. This is considerably 

 like the pilchard; but is larger and thin- 

 ner ; distinguishable particularly by the ' 

 scales upon its belly, which form a sharp 

 keel along it. It is found in the Medi- 

 terranean and in the Baltic, and ascends 

 rivers periodically to deposit its spawn, 

 which it always does in the deepest 

 parts. The longer it continues in fresh 

 water, the fatter it becomes; it feeds 

 principally on insects and young fish, and 

 can live but a tew moments after being 

 taken from the water. It is little valued 

 for the table, being coarse and tasteless. 

 It is found in the rivers of England, and 

 principally in the Severn. 



C.sprattus, or sprat, resembles the her- 

 ring, and might easily be taken for its 

 young. There are, however, decided 

 differences. During the winter months 

 sprats are caught in abundance in the 

 Thames, and are a verv valuable resource 

 for the poor inhabitants of the metropo- 

 lis. In some places they are pickled 

 with great advantage ; in others they are 

 cured like the herring, and are scarcely 

 less relished. 



C. encrasicolus, or anchovy. This was 

 well known to the ancients, who prepar- 

 ed from it a sauce in high estimation. Its 

 bones are soluble in boiling water, winch 

 renders it of great convenience in condi- 

 inental preparations. 



CLU SI A, in botany ; so called in me- 

 mory of Carolus Clusius, an eminent 

 French botanist; a genus of the Poly- 



