THE PILCHARD. 1 85 



for Pilchards exported has, at a medium, annually 

 amounted to the sum of 49,5321. 10s*." 



When Dr. Maton made the tour of the western 

 counties, he and a friend hired a boat to go out and 

 see the pilchard-fishing at Fowy, near Looe, in 

 Cornwall. He says that the fishing-boats, which 

 are pretty numerous, are usually stationed in ten 

 fathoms water, and clear of all breakers. Light 

 sail-boats keep out at a little distance before them, 

 to give notice to the fishermen of the approach of a 

 shoal. Persons are also frequently stationed on the 

 neighbouring rocks to watch the course of the fish : 

 these are called huers, from the circumstance of thek 

 setting up a hue to the fishermen. 



The nets, which are seines, are sometimes two 

 hundred fathoms or more in circumference, and 

 about eighteen deep. Some of them are said to hold 

 upwards of two hundred hogsheads of fish, each 

 containing about three thousand. About thirty thou- 

 sand hogsheads are here looked upon as a tolerably 

 good produce for one season. But it happens now 

 and then that the fishery almost entirely fails. About 

 ten years before Dr. Maton was at this place, the 

 fishermen and their families had been compelled to 

 live for some time solely on limpets and other shell- 

 fish, which they cannot in any other circumstances 

 be prevailed on to eat f. 



The Dog-fish J are great enemies to the Pil- 

 chards, often devouring them in amazing numbers. 



Eorlase, 272. + Maton, i. 140. 



% Squalus eatuhts of Linnxus. 



