THE HERRING FAMILY. 481 



viz., dorsal and ventral in the posterior region, dorsal only in 

 the anterior region. Black chromatophores also extended along 

 the ventral edge of the muscle-plates behind the vent. The 

 otocysts were large and the pectoral fins formed rounded 

 flaps. 



On the ISth of July the same author describes a translucent 

 post-larval sprat of 18'5 mm. (Plate XIX, fig. 8) in which the 

 pigment had increased in the eyes, along the gut, and in the 

 tail-fin (schwangflosse). The body is more elongate and propor- 

 tionally deeper. 



The sprat becomes silvery when between 25 and 33 mm. 

 long, and scales then develop. 



Young sprats with adult characters occur in August and 

 September. Day mentions that the ' frith ' of the Devon and 

 Cornwall coast and estuaries consists of ' young sprats ' : he found 

 them from f to 2^ inches long at Dawlish and about If inches 

 at Teignmouth. ' During the summer and autumn months young 

 and small sprats are rarely absent from our coasts.' 



The exact habits of the sprat are not known, the above 

 author remarking: — 'Although during the very cold months 

 herrings and pilchards more or less retire to the deep, sprats on 

 the contrary come towards the shore ; but even when pre'sent 

 the shoals are capricious in their movements, as well as in their 



extent Even the time of appearance varies considerably in 



different years at the same place.' On the east coast of 

 Scotland the sprats appear to occur shortly after the herrings, 

 but are not much sought after for food, although abundant in 

 the estuaries of the Forth and Tay. Enormous quantities, 

 however, are frequently sold for manure, a waste of valuable 

 fish-food which is a criticism upon the legislative measures in 

 other departments. 



The connection between young sprats and ' whitebait ' has 

 been mentioned under the ' Herring.' 



Thus we notice that much has yet to be known con- 

 cerning the migrations and life-history of the sprat. As 

 already indicated, it appears likely that the adults resort to the 

 estuaries for spawning, but it is known that they cannot face 

 quite fresh water. Cunningham remarks that they migrate 



