114 



WHITEBAIT. 



Clupea alba, Yatuiell; Br. Pishes, vol. ii, p. 202. 



" " Jknyns; Manual, p. 436. 



" latulus, Cuvier. 



Thk notice of the public was first directed to this little 

 fish as forming a delicious article of food; but it remained for 

 Mr. Yarrell to decide that it is a distinct species, and not, as 

 had been supposed, the young of some one of the well-known 

 species of the Herring family, and particularly of the Allis Shad. 

 It was also believed that it did not exist elsewhere than in 

 the Thames, where a fishery was carried on to supply an extensive 

 demand from the people of London; who had rendered it 

 fashionable to go in parties to the taverns on the banks of the 

 river to feed on this luxury, with, it must be added, such other 

 accompaniments as might render the treat a rather expensive 

 one. What had begun among the more obscure classes of the 

 Metropolis, in the course of time extended to those of the 

 highest rank; and it becomes an incident in the history of this 

 fish to trace the progress of this upward-tending indulgence. 

 From the persons already referred to, it first extended to some 

 gentlemen who had been appointed Commissioners for the 

 management of the affairs of an expanse of water, which had 

 broken in on the low ground from the Thames, at Dagenham; 

 and who, once a year, made it a custom to have a friendly 

 meeting and dinner, of which this fish formed an important part, 

 at what was called the Breach house; and to which they invited 

 their particular friends, together with the principal ministers of 

 the crown. Thus become a mark of gentility, it grew into 

 a practice for all the inhabitants of the city who can afford 

 the expense to indulge in the excursion down the river; and 

 it is a sign of the conclusion of a session of Parliament when 



