62 PERIODICAL VISITS OF THE HERRING. 



been justly celebrated for their superior quality : they 

 have a whiter colour, a plumper shape than, and a much 

 superior flavour to those caught on the Berwickshire 

 coast ; and, with all these good qualities, they keep well 

 when properly cured. The general size of this kind of 

 herring may be reckoned as ranging from the sixth to 

 the eighth class, the later the season the nearer the larger 

 size ; but there are sometimes herrings of a very large 

 size — even of twelve and thirteen inches in length — 

 caught there. The quantity of herrings fished in Loch 

 Fyne and adjacent places of late years has been rather 

 on the decrease ; but it is not easy to ascertain this 

 accurately, from the great number that is sold fresh, 

 of which no account is kept. A portion of the herrings 

 fished there have been, for many years back, exported 

 to the West Indies-, — a circumstance of which Lacepede 

 did not seem to be aware, as he says in his work that 

 the exportation of herrings to warmer climates had never 

 been attempted. 



Ayrshire Coast. — They are frequently found near the 

 Ayrshire coast in June and July, and they have even 

 been caught in considerable quantities off Irvine and 

 Troon so early as the month of May. 



Sol WAY Firth. — Herrings of small size, but good qua- 

 lity, generally appear here in considerable quantities, and 

 are taken principally upon the Scottish side in the Solway 

 Firth. The usual fishing time is about the month of Sep- 

 tember. 



Isle of Man. — The herrings caught on the west coast of 

 the Isle of Man are generally of medium size and good 

 quality. They come sometimes upon the coast as early 

 as June, but the principal fishing time is about the be- 

 ginning of September. The herrings fished on tiie west 



