CHAPTEE VII. 



PEKIODICAL VISITS OF THE HERRING. 



In attempting to give a statement of the periodical visits 

 of tlie herring to the Scottish and other coasts, and to 

 describe, as far as may he possible, its size and quality, 

 we shall commence with Shetland, and proceed westward 

 round to the Solway Firth, and then return to Cape 

 Wrath, and take the east coast to Berwick, which will 

 of course include the whole coast of Scotland, and then 

 describe its visits to the coasts of those countries where 

 their visits have been ascertained. To avoid repetition, 

 we shall classify the size of the herrings by the number 

 to a barrel ; for instance, 600 is the sixth class, 800 the 

 eighth class, and so on. 



SCOTLAND. 



Shetland. — The winds and weather seem to have 

 more influence on the herring-fishery on the Shetland 

 coasts than on that of any other quarter, which may be 

 accounted for by their exposed situation ; and until a 

 comparatively recent period the fishing of herrings by the 

 native boats was merely subsidiary or secondary to the 

 cod and ling fishing. 



There is generally a large description of herring caught 

 at the extreme north of the Shetland Islands near Unst, 

 Fetlar, and Yell. They may be fished in the beginning of 



