AND HOW TO CATCH THEM. 41 



its merciless destruction. Pew fish are more erratic 

 in their movements, and no certainty attends their 

 continuing to visit any particular fishing grounds. 

 Much diversity of opinion has existed and still exists 

 relative to the migrations of this fish, some supposing 

 Anderson and Pennant amongst the number that 

 their winters are passed in the Arctic Sea, and that 

 they only return to our shores as the season advances. 

 There is no ground for the support of this opinion, 

 and it appears, from the researches of some of our 

 most acute ichthyologists, that their winter journeys 

 are not extended to any very great distance from our 

 own shores, but that they remain in deep water until 

 the period of spawning arrives, when shallow water is 

 sought as being more congenial, from many causes, to 

 the vivification and well-doing of the spawn when 

 deposited. This having been done, the great majority 

 return to the deep sea from whence they came, but 

 leave certain stragglers behind, which are caught by 

 various methods at all times through the year. The 

 herring fishery has, from very early ages, been most 

 important in a commercial point of view. The great 

 bulk of herrings are taken by drift nets, which are also 

 most extensively used, with certain modifications such 

 as size of mesh, &c. for the capture of pilchards and 

 mackerel. These nets hang curtain-like in the water, 

 having no leads at the bottom, and are supported at 

 the top by a number of lengths of rope, which extend 

 from the upper edge of the submerged net to the 



