PILCHARD. 107 



a slioal of Pilchards were observed in Poole Harbour, and 

 so many fish were taken that they were sold in the market at 

 a penny a dozen. 



Smith's History of the County of Cork contains a full 

 and interesting account of the Pilchard fishery in Bantry 

 Bay. They have been noticed also on the coast of the 

 county of Cork, and taken at Dublin and Belfast. On 

 our eastern coast, a few are taken every year at Yarmouth 

 with the Herrings. They were more than usually abundant 

 there in the years 1780, 1790, and 1799. 



Specimens of the Pilchard sometimes measure eleven 

 inches in length ; the fish described measured nine inches. 

 It much resembles the Herring, but is smaller and thicker. 

 The length of the head is to the whole length as one to 

 five ; the depth of the body equal to the length of the head ; 

 the transverse thickness of the body equal to half its depth : 

 the form of the head triangular, the upper surface flat ; 

 the dorsal and abdominal lines slightly and equally con- 

 vex ; no perceptible lateral line; the body across the back 

 obtusely rounded ; the line of the abdomen smooth ; the 

 edges of the scales of the two sides leaving a longitudinal 

 groove from the branchiostegous rays to the vent, along 

 which groove extends a row of 

 scales of a peculiar shape, of which 

 the woodcut here placed is a re- 

 presentation ; the two long narrow 

 lateral arms extending up each side 

 under the scales, the shortest pro- 

 jection pointing backward : the 

 scales of the body are very large, 

 deciduous, and ciliated at the free 

 edge. 



The distance from the point of 



