86 MIGRATION. 



ference which exists between the herrings fished near 

 Calais and those fished near Dieppe ; those fished near 

 Calais have the body longer and more flat and compressed 

 on the sides than those of Dieppe, which are rounder and 

 shorter" (vol. xx. p. 47). 



2, As to quality, nothing so much proclaims the error 

 of the tale of their all coming from the north as the 

 general state of the herring. For instance, as already 

 mentioned, those caught off Shetland are not nearly so 

 fat as those caught about the same time on the coast 

 from Thurso to Loch Broom. In the first of the season 

 those caught in Loch Fyne are not so extremely fat as the 

 Thurso herrings ; and the herrings of Loch Fyne are supe- 

 rior in quality to those of the east coast. Again, there is 

 a marked difference in appearance and quality (and this 

 is easily distinguished by those accustomed to see them) 

 between those caught near Caithness and Morayshire, 

 and those caught off Aberdeenshire and Berwickshire. 

 The quality of the Danish and Baltic herrings is inferior 

 to the Moray Frith and West Highland herrings ; and 

 those caught on the coast of Holland are so inferior as 

 not to be pickled at all by the Dutch. The Yarmouth 

 herrings are inferior in some respects to those of the 

 north of Scotland ; and the herrings got on the French 

 coasts are also of inferior quality. 



3. As to the time of appearance, we find much to prove 

 that the herrings are natives of the seas adjoining the 

 coasts on which they spawn. As a few instances, it may 

 be stated as well known, that herrings are caught in Loch 

 Fyne before any are caught near Cape Wrath ; and off 

 Berwickshire and Aberdeenshire by the Dutch before any 

 are caught off Caithness ; and even off Yarmouth herrings 

 have been caught in May. We find they are not generally 



