164 :\rARKETABLE BRITISH MARINE FISHES 



The Sprat iClupca sprattus). 



Distinguishing Characters. — The dorsal fin commences a little 

 behind the middle point between the snout and the base of the 

 tail fin, and the pelvic fins are very slightly in front of the com- 

 mencement of the dorsal. There are seven rays only in the 

 pelvic fin. The scales are a little larger than in herring of the 

 same size. No teeth on jaws, tongue, or roof of mouth. The 

 spines on the belly strong and sharp, and the edge of the belly 

 narrow, so that it is like a saw. The body deeper than in the 

 herring. The hinder end of the upper jaw not reaching back so 

 far as the middle of the eye. No radiating lines on the gill- 

 cover, the lower edge of the opercular bone not slanting 

 upwards and backwards so much as in the herring, and straight. 

 The colour of the back rather dull and slaty. Does not exceed 

 6| inches in length, usual size 4 to 5 inches. 



Habitat. — From the north coast of Europe to the Mediter- 

 ranean. Found all round the British and Irish coasts. There 

 are large fisheries of sprats in the neighbourhood of the Thames, 

 on the Kent and Essex coasts, and along the south coast of 

 England, as in the Solent and at Torquay. They are also taken 

 in the Forth and Tay, and in the Moray Firth. In narrow waters 

 they are caught in stow-ncts, as in the Thames, the Wash, and 

 the Forth. At Dover they are caught with small-meshed drift- 

 nets, and at Torquay in seines. 



Breeding. — The proportions between the sexes have not been 

 carefully studied, and the investigation of the number of ova by 

 Dr. Fulton was imperfect, as the roes were not very ripe or very 

 fresh. He calculated in one specimen the total number of eggs 

 at 5,400. 



Ripe sprats are not often seen in large numbers, not usually 

 being taken in this condition in the regular fisheries. The reason 

 of this appears to be that the fish go some distance from shore 

 in order to spawn, and there is no regular pursuit of them in the 

 ripe condition. The case resembles that of the pilchard. The 

 spawning season must therefore be determined rather from 

 observation of the presence of the buoyant eggs in the sea than 

 of the proportion of ripe fish taken. It is probable that if small- 

 meshed nets were used, and a careful trial made, numbers of 



