FERIODICAL VISITS OF THE HERRING. 61 



year there were 400 vessels, which fished about 96,000 

 barrels in one season. 



Harris. — In December 1837, an immense shoal of her- 

 rings, of a large size, set into the lochs on the western 

 coast of Harris. One shoal entered a creek in the Sound 

 of Harris, the mouth of which dries at half-tide, while 

 the depth within the bar is seven fathoms ; and about 200 

 crans were caught in this pool alone. {Ediiiburgh Weekly 

 Chronicle, 16th December 1837.) 



Firth of Clyde — Arran. — Off the west end of this 

 island, and in the adjacent Sound, there is generally a 

 good fishing from July to the end of November. 



LocliFyne — Loch Long. — Herrings are annually caught, 

 but not in considerable quantities, in Loch Fyne and Loch 

 Long, beginning in the month of June ; and they some- 

 times appear in abundance in the river Clyde, Expe- 

 rienced fishermen say that herrings may be caught in 

 Loch Fyne all the year through. In corroboration, to a 

 certain extent, of this remark, it may be stated, that in 

 the beginning of January 1832 the herring fishery was 

 very successful in Loch Fyne, the boats having been gene- 

 rally well filled, and the herrings of good quality. In 

 December 1835 Loch Fyne was visited by a most extra- 

 ordinary shoal of herrings. They made their appearance 

 in some of the bays in such prodigious quantities that the 

 usual method of fishing was departed from, and nets of 

 every description were stretched across the bays, and en- 

 closed all the fish until the receding of the tide, when they 

 were left high and dry upon the beach ; and two boats 

 engaged in this fishing caught each from 20 to 25 maizes 

 (500 to the maize) each night. {Edinburgh Observer, 1st 

 December 1837.) 



The herrings of Loch Fyne and neighbourhood have 



