236 THE PILCHARD SEINE. 



easy in his mind and comfortable in his circumstances, and 

 may probably even be enabled to discharge any small debt he 

 may have incurred through disappointment in other branches 

 of fishing. 



There is a large foreign as well as home consumption of 

 this fish, both in a fresh and salted condition, and for the former 

 they are salted and laid in piles, regularly built up on a slightly 

 sloping floor, in buildings denominated from their use ' Pilchard 

 cellars,' during which a large amount of oil exudes from the 

 fish ; after which they are washed and packed in casks, and sub- 

 jected to pressure, which extracts a still further amount of oil, 

 all of which obtains a ready sale. 



The Pilchards are in this condition known as 'fair maids,' 

 probably a corruption of ' Fumados ; ' from which, it. would 

 appear, they were formerly smoked before exportation to the 

 Mediterranean, for the shores of which they are commonly 

 destined. 



The Pilchard is identical with the French Sardine, the 

 latter being the Pilchard before it arrives at maturity. 



The Pilchard swarms on the coasts of Ireland and 

 Guernsey : on the former, I am told, they are entirely dis- 

 regarded ; on the latter they are sometimes captured with Gai- 

 fish nets, and as they sell well, it is probable a special fishery 

 may be eventually established. 



Pilchards when salted for home use are usually cleaned by 

 pulling off the head and removing the inside, splitting the fish 

 with the finger and thumb, and leaving the scales, if possible, 

 undisturbed. 



They are now salted in a round cask or butter jar, the 

 bellies being first filled with salt. 



I consider them much improved by the addition of one and 

 a half or two pounds of coarse moist sugar mixed with the salt, 

 supposing you cure about four hundred fish. Factories are 

 now established at Mevagissey and Fowey to cure the Pilchards 

 in oil after the French fashion. 



They are useful as a bait for Whiting when fresh ones are 

 not procurable, and, whether for bait or eating, are commonly 

 soaked in fresh water twelve hours previously. 



