PREFACE. 



The Eoyal Scottish Society of Arts having offered a 

 medal for the best essay " On the Natural History of the 

 Herring, considered in connection with its Visits on the 

 Scottish Coast," the author's attention was directed to 

 the question, and he wrote a short paper on the subject 

 which obtained the medal. This success encouraged him 

 to attempt something more popular and elaborate ; and 

 although interrupted by other avocations, he steadily 

 directed his attention to the work which he now brings 

 before the public. In endeavouring to obtain as much 

 information as possible, he has frequently visited the 

 fisheries on the West Coast, the East Coast, Cornwall and 

 the English Channel, and the coasts of Ireland. He has 

 been on board several of the Dutch fishing-busses, and 

 went to their head-quarters at Vlaardingen and Maass- 

 luis ; he visited the shores of the Baltic on both sides, 

 and the shores of the German Ocean ; resided for some 

 time in Norway, and visited the principal fishing dis- 

 tricts in that country. As France is possessed of several 

 important fisheries, he visited most of her principal fishing 



