CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 339 



1862. 



revenue cutter. Boats at herrings, various success ; from two 

 to twenty crans, full size. Best quality and largest quantities 

 near Inchkeith. 



Jan. 31. Latter part of month, boats fished near Island of May. Seventy 

 boats fishing one day ofl' Anstruther ; highest, fifteen crans. 



Feb. 4. Westerly and changeable ; no appearance of spa\vning yet. 



7. Some boats returned, left the fishing ; few herrings seen or 

 got. Strong wind, N.E. Herrings fished at various places 

 on the East Coast — six to eight crans each boat. 



Mar. 1. Herrings fished off Anstruther. Examined six of these, viz. : — 



Success various until the 

 6. Some boats fished about twenty ci'ans near May Island, and a 

 good appearance. One boat had thirty-five crans at Dunbar, 

 but quality of herrings indifi'erent ; many spawning, lank 

 and sickly. Many boats came into Anstruther with fifteen 

 to twenty crans ; fishing near the May Island, one boat, 

 forty-five crans ; sold at 45s. per cran. About 300 boats 

 fishing ; but soon after the herrings left, and the fishing 

 ceased. 



1861. — The fishery off the coast and near Dunbar was 

 very abundant this year, and yielded several thousand 

 barrels, the great proportion of which was sold fresh, of 

 which no account was obtainable. About the 30th of 

 August the shoals began to deposit their spawn a short 

 distance from the harbour, and on the 3d of September 

 the fishermen found that a very large body of herrings re- 

 mained fixed to the ground in the progress of spawning, the 

 ground being of a rocky or stony nature. When the fisher- 

 men ascertained this, several of the boats proceeded to 

 the spawning ground, and, letting their nets down to the 

 bottom, took up large quantities of herrings, some of the 

 boats having each about sixty crans or barrels of herrings. 

 When discharging their cargoes, the boats and nets were 



y2 



