THE SALMON 327 



ing its spawn. When approaching the coast the shoals may be 

 seen stretching for miles, for they often swim close to the surface 

 and their motion through the water causes an unusual ripple. 

 When the young herring, or herring fry as they are called, are 

 hatched, they keep for a time in shoals so densely crowded together 

 that they appear to be in almost solid masses. Thus they fall an 

 easy prey to porpoises and whales, and, when they come to the 

 surface, to sea-birds. So many are destroyed in this way that it is 

 surprising that such large numbers survive to be caught in the nets. 



As the herring is so plentiful, and so excellent a fish, it forms a 

 very important article of food. Many thousands of people are en- 

 gaged in preparing it for the market. If so many are caught that 

 all cannot be disposed of fresh, they are salted or smoked, and 

 transformed into "bloaters'' or "red herring". 



The herring, which is usually about a foot in length, is greenish- 

 blue on the back and sides, while underneath it is a very bright 

 silver. Its lower jaw protrudes slightly beyond its upper one. 



Some sixty species of herring are known, but they are dis- 

 tributed over the world. Some are, however, rather poisonous than 

 edible. A freshwater species is found in Australia. 



THE SALMON (Family Salmonid^) 



The Salmon has well been called " the king of freshwater 

 fishes ". It grows to a considerable size, attaining in Britain 

 occasionally a weight of 70 lbs. ; in Canada, often of over 80 lbs. 

 It is possessed of wonderful strength and activity, so that it affords 

 capital sport for the angler, and its flesh forms a great dainty for 

 the table. Certainly there is no other fish in our rivers and 

 lakes that can be said to equal it in any of these three respects. 



In former days this valuable fish abounded in almost all the 

 larger streams of Great Britain. It can only live, however, in 

 perfectly pure water, and, now that so many of our rivers are 

 polluted by sewage, and by refuse which escapes from various 

 manufactories, it is found in very few English streams. But in 

 Scotland it is still fairly plentiful, and many thousands of fine 

 salmon are taken every year by rod and net. 



