PEKIODICAL VISITS OF THE HERRING. 75 



and continue upon the coast till November. These are 

 generally of the eighth class and of good quality. A 

 larger sized and coarser herring appears on the same 

 coast in December, and they continue till the end of 

 February. They are as large as the fifth and sixth class. 



Bergen. — Farther south and near Bergen, the large de- 

 scription of herrings approach the shore in January, and 

 continue during February and March. These are also of 

 the larger size and of coarser quality than those caught 

 off Shetland ; and the smaller sized, or fat or summer her- 

 rings, of the eighth class, are often fished near the coast 

 in June and July. 



Stadtland. — The Norwegians have also a considerable 

 fishing ofi" Stadtland, where they generally get very large 

 herrings, few being under a foot, and many thirteen inches 

 in length. This kind is what is generally sent in great 

 quantities by the Norwegians to the Baltic for sale, and 

 is inferior to Scottish herrings. 



Lofoden. — The summer herring-fishery off Lofoden and 

 the coast of Helgoland (Norway) was formerly very con- 

 siderable, but they have not come upon this coast for the 

 last twenty years. {Bloms BeisebesJcrivelse i Nordlan- 

 dene, 166). 



Flekkefiord. — A considerable fishery of the Norway 

 herrings existed for several years near Flekkefiord in 

 Norway. They were fished about four miles from the 

 shore, and from 200 to 300 vessels, averaging about 50 

 tons, got full cargoes, the fishing commencing generally 

 in January, and continuing about three weeks. This fish- 

 ery was considerable in the beginning of 1836, but has 

 totally failed since. 



Christiansund. — Off Christiansiind and along the adja- 

 cent coasts a very superior description of herring is 



