WITH FISH AND FISHING. 243 



Seals were eaten in those days. If the increased 

 expenses of provisions, cordage, bait, men's wages, 

 &c. &c. are taken into consideration, the difference 

 in price will not be found so great. 



Fish condemned at Billingsgate. The total 

 number of fish condemned as unfit for food, within 

 the last three years, ending in 1833, viz. salmon, 

 cod, turbot, herrings, mackerel, lobsters, &c. was 

 492,538 ; in addition to this number, there were 

 seized and condemned 3,525 bushels of sprats and 

 shell-fish, and 126 kits of pickled salmon. 



Mirror, vol. xxv. 



Shower of Fishes. On Wednesday before Eas- 

 ter, 1666, a pasture field at Cranstead, near 

 Wrotham, Kent, of about two acres, which is very 

 far from the sea, and where there is no fish-pond, 

 was all overspread with little fishes, conceived to 

 be rained down, there having been a great tempest 

 of thunder and lightning ; the fishes were about 

 the size of a man's little finger, and judged to be 

 young whitings ; many of them were shewn to 

 the public. Phil. Trans. 1698. 



Query : Is it not probable that these fishes were 

 absorbed from the surface of the water by the 

 electric suction of a water-spout, or brushed off 

 by the violence of a hurricane ? Editor. 



