68 PERIODICAL VISITS OF THE HERRING. 



every year ; and although they do not set in close to the coast 

 till about the month of August, yet the fleet of Dutch 

 herring busses, when it meets with a contrary wind, whicli 

 prevents their proceeding farther north, gets a consider- 

 able fishing about twenty miles off that coast in the end 

 of June and beginning of July. But the herrings caught 

 by onr own fishermen close in-shore in August and 

 September are often ripe for spawning. They appear 

 on this coast suddenly in great shoals, and the great 

 quantity caught in the meshes frequently sinks the nets, 

 which are sometimes left a night or even two nights in the 

 water, according as the weather may suit for getting them 

 into the boats. Such herrings, if salted and barrelled, must 

 tend greatly to injure the character of the herrings caught 

 on this coast. Although great quantities are frequently 

 fished here, the fishing generally lasts only a few days. 

 They are of large size, or about the sixth class in ordi- 

 nary seasons. 



2. ENGLAND. 



Nor^thumberland. — Herrings appear in August and 

 September from Berwick, southward, on the Northum 

 berland coast ; they are similar to the herrings caught ofl' 

 Dunbar, and the fishery is often considerable. North Sun- 

 derland is the principal station in this quarter. 



YorhsMre. — At Staithes, Eunswick, and Eobin Hood's 

 Bay, they are caught from the latter part of July to the 

 latter part of September, and of late years have been 

 fished in considerable quantities. 



'Norfolk. — The herring-fishery off Yarmouth is the most 

 important on the coast of England ; 500 decked vessels 

 may be seen at this fishing at one time, of which about 



