280 ANIMAL FOOD RESOURCES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



caught annually by the British, French, Dutch, and Nor- 

 wegian fishermen. 



The take of herrings in Scotland varies from 600,000 

 to 1,000,000 barrels, that is, reckoning the quantity 

 cured, exclusive of those eaten fresh. The quantitj'^ sent 

 abroad ranges from 500,000 to 700,000 barrels. 



The Norfolk fishery obtains about 64,000 tons of her- 

 rings, and the Dutch catch about 85,000 tons. 



Spiced herrings, known as kryddsell, are much sought 

 after in some places of Sweden, and especially in North 

 Germany. They are thus prepared. The fresh-caught 

 herrings are immediately put into vinegar, with one- 

 fourth water and some salt. After remaining in this 

 mixture for twenty-four hours, the herrings are taken 

 out and the vinegar drained off. The fish are then 

 placed in a keg with a mixture of the following spices, 

 reckoning these quantities for every fourscore herrings : 

 one pound fine dry salt, one pound pulverised sugar, 

 half an ounce each of pepper, bay -leaves, and saltpetre, a 

 quarter of an ounce of ginger and a very little hops and 

 cloves ; others add double the quantity of pepper, all- 

 spice, and cloves. The herrings must be left in this 

 mixture for two months before they are fit for use. ■ 



Pilchards. — The pilchard fishery {Clupea pikhardus), 

 which is confined to the coasts of Cornwall and Devon, 

 is variable in its yield, reaching sometimes 47,000 hogs- 

 heads, as in 1871, and at others not a fifth of this 

 quantity are caught, as but 9,477 hogsheads in 1877. It 

 takes nearly 4,000 summer pilchards and 3,000 winter 

 pilchards to fill a hogshead, which will weigh when 

 well pressed 467 pounds gross. 



Besides what are consumed locally fresh, the ship- 

 ments, when salted, go almost entirely to Italy, where 

 they are largely consumed during Lent. 



Whitebait. — The whitebait which are reported so great 

 a delicacy in London are composed in reality of the fry 

 of various small fish, but they consist chiefly of those of 

 sprats and herrings. Their capture has hitherto been 

 confined to the neighbourhood of London, but it is now 



