236 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



Society's Transactions. There was also a series of letters 

 by Dr Knox and the author in April, May, and June, in 

 the Scotsman, which it would be too tedious to give here ; 

 but from the formation of the herring, and the examina- 

 tion of the stomach of numerous specimens at various 

 localities, it will be found that the herring, like most 

 other fishes, does not confine itself to any particular kind 

 of food, as stated in this present work under the article 

 " Food ;" and, as there stated, the opinion and experience 

 of the author of the work was confirmed by the mucli 

 more valuable opinion of the celebrated Agassiz, who told 

 the author, when he met him at the first meeting of the 

 British Association at Edinburgh, that from the formation 

 of the mouth of the herring, he was of opinion that this fish 

 did not confine itself to any particular kind of food ; and 

 the examination of the food of the herring and other fishes 

 since go far to prove this statement. 



The new harbour at Wick or Pulteneytown while erect- 

 ing, was greatly injured by a storm in 1827, but it was at 

 last completed in 1834. 



The successful prosecution of the herring-fishery at 

 various places on the east coast of Scotland, under the 

 protection and encouragement of the Fishery Board, en- 

 couraged other places where no fishery had been attempted ; 

 and the enterprising and laudable spirit of industry of the 

 inhabitants of Aberdeen, induced the authorities at that 

 port to ofier facilities and encouragement to the fishermen 

 to make the attempt to fish herrings off that coast. The 

 first attempt was made in the year 1836, and it succeeded 

 beyond the expectation of the most sanguine of the pro- 

 moters ; and about the middle of July, of the thirty herring 

 boats which commenced, several caught to the extent of 

 ten crans at a short distance from the shore. The herrings 



