62 BRITISH IND USTKIES. 



in their selection of any particular spot for fishing, are 

 commonly of a very uncertain character, and at times 

 there is nothing more to influence them than their 

 knowledge that the fish were in some particular 

 locality or at a certain distance from the land at a 

 corresponding period in former seasons. At the com- 

 mencement of the fishing season, they can only be 

 guided by such considerations ; but when the fish are 

 becoming more abundant and occasionally showing 

 themselves at the surface, what is called the " appear- 

 ance of fish," that is, large collections of sea birds and 

 the presence of whales and the smaller species of 

 cetacea, are a tolerably sure indication of there being 

 plenty of fish in the neighbourhood. There must 

 necessarily be a great deal of uncertainty in a fishery 

 of this kind, for practically there is nothing known of 

 the causes which influence the shoals of fish in their 

 daily movements, although it seems probable that the 

 greater or less abundance of food is an important one. 

 The phosphorescent light produced at times by my- 

 riads of minute medusaB and other marine animals 

 when disturbed, especially in calm warm weather, is 

 frequently made use of by the fishermen in their 

 search for herrings, and often leads to the discovery 

 of fish when other indications are absent. The light 

 is called by the fishermen by the names of " briming," 

 " waterburn," or, on the Northumberland coast, " mar- 

 fire." When the water is in this condition, the slightest 

 agitation, as is well known, produces sparks or flashes 

 of light ; and the presence of fish is often indicated by 

 the streaks of light which are caused by their sud- 



