THE SCHELLY 123 



habits the Lochmaben Vendace and the common 

 salt-water Herring, They are never seen under 

 any circumstances in the middle of the day. From 

 the estimation these fish are held in by the neigh- 

 bouring inhabitants they are seldom sent far before 

 they meet with a ready sale, and are entirely 

 unknown in the markets of Glasgow. In the 

 months of August and September they are in the 

 best condition for the table, when they are con- 

 sidered well-flavoured, wholesome, and delicate food. 

 They shed their spawn from October to December, 

 and remain out of condition until March." 



In 1891 Mr. A. Brown published some additional 

 details ; the Powan were still very numerous ; he 

 describes them as having a strong odour like the 

 Smelt, so that in the summer and autumn, when 

 they float in large shoals at the surface, the sur- 

 rounding air for a distance is tainted with their 

 scent. Owing to their sluggishness and their habit 

 of lying near the surface they are a favourite food 

 of gulls and cormorants. They feed on entomos- 

 traca, insects, worms, and weeds, and spawn in the 

 shallow bays on stones or gravel ; in the middle of 

 the summer, fry about 2 inches long may be seen 

 in the creeks. 



THE SCHELLY (Coregonus stigmaticus) is said to 

 derive its name from its conspicuous scales ; it 

 inhabits Haweswater in Cumberland, Ullswater in 

 Westmorland, and the Red Tarn, a small lake on 

 the side of Helvellyn, at a height of 2356 feet; 

 all three lakes belong to the system of the Eden. 

 The Schelly is so closely related to the Powan that 

 many authors have considered them identical. 



