428 THE HERRING FAMILY. 



nudo,' so called because at that young stage they have not the 

 silvery coat acquired later. At from 4 to 5 cms. they are 

 known as ' poutines vestido,' having now the silvery sheen of 

 the adult. Later they are known as 'palailla' and 'sardinettes.' 



The sardines average about 6 to *7^ inches (16 to 18 cms.). 

 As regards the rate of growth, the poutines of 1'2 to 1'6 inch 

 (3 to 4 cms.) occurring in March, grow to a length of 47 

 to o'l inch (12 to 13 cms.) by December. If we assume 

 these to be spawned in February then by one year they are 

 from 14 to 15 cms. long (nearly 6 inches). At the end of two 

 years they reach a length of 18 cms. (about 7^ inches), and 

 presumably they spawn in the third year. Cunningham, from 

 examination of pilchards in August during the regular fishing, 

 concludes that some pilchards spawn in their second season 

 when they are about 8 inches long. He found young pil- 

 chards in the estuaries of the south coast 2| to 4| inches in 

 length in September and surmises that they were spawned 

 in May or June, giving them a maximum age of 5 months. 

 The pilchards of the Channel and Atlantic Ocean appear to be 

 a considerably larger race than the sardines of the Mediterranean 

 although they are probably identical species. Thus Prof. 

 Pouchet at Concarneau finds that the largest are from 9^ to 

 10 inches, whilst Cunningham records them at 9^ inches. 

 Cornish found an example 11^ inches in length, and Dunn 

 yet again reports one of 14 inches, a size which compares 

 well with that of the herring. 



Pilchards are, as is well known, essentially gregarious 

 fishes, and although their shoaling and migrations are no doubt 

 primarily connected with the sexual function yet the lesser 

 movements appear to be largely determined by the distribution 

 of food and by currents. Day states that off the coast of 

 Cornwall and Devon they are said to remain all the year, 

 moving near the bottom in January, and in the summer 

 migrating seawards some 20 to 50 miles offshore, probably 

 in connection with spawning. Off the Channel Islands the 

 schools of pilchards are familiar to zoologists in July and 

 August — as they break the surface-water over considerable 

 areas like a deluge of great raindrops. 



