214 HISTORY OF SEA-FISHERIES. 



short in its produce, a result arising from the 

 deficiency at the stations on the east coast, for 

 upon the west coast there was an average catch, 

 and, as compared with the fishing of 1858, an in- 

 crease of 9810 barrels in the quantity cured. 

 The chief stations upon the east coast, however, 

 fell very short, and they are those with which the 

 trade on the continent is carried on. The effect 

 has been greatly to diminish the quantity of her- 

 rings cured, and in no year since 1837 has the 

 Board had to present so small a return of cure. In 

 that year, with English stations included, the 

 herrings cured amounted to only 397,829 barrels. 



In these capricious fluctuations of the herring 

 fishery are involved many questions for which no 

 solution, nor anything approaching a solution, has 

 yet been found. Many theories are advanced, 

 some alarming, as to the decay of the herring 

 fisheries ; others inventive and fictitious, as to the 

 supposed habits of the fish : but none that will 

 stand the test of even the slightest investigation, 

 much less the severity of scientific inquiry. On 

 the subject itself science has thrown but little 

 light, and whenever directed to it has found itself 

 beset with serious and perplexing difficulties. 



