The Herring Fishery. 47 



About one half of the total number cured are " officially 

 branded " by the inspectors. 



The respective brands are "crown full," "maties," "spent," 

 and " mixed." Maties are those fish in which the roes and 

 milts are perfectly but not largely developed — and it is well 

 to understand that this is the state of the fish in which it is 



« 



truly in the best condition for food — and when it will be found 

 most delicious to eat, as well as most nutritive. Although 

 it does not exhibit, whilst in this condition, so bulky an 

 appearance as it does when it is in that of a full fish, it is 

 in reality much fatter, for the bulk of the full fish is decep- 

 tively produced by the great enlargement of the roe or 

 milt, and this does not take place without a corresponding 

 diminution of the body of the fish. The full fish, however, 

 are those which are most sought after in a mercantile point 

 of view, because of their larger appearance. The spent or 

 shotten fish having just performed their function of spawn 

 ing, and having been thereby reduced to a miserable, lean, 

 and poor state, are unpalatable, and more or less unwhole- 

 some as food when in a fresh state, and in a still greater 

 degree when cured. The more immediately they are taken 

 after spawning the worse they will be, and the longer the 

 time that, expires after their performance of that function, 

 the less unpalatable or unwholesome they will become. 

 But it is always advisable to avoid taking or using them in 

 any way until they shall have had time to be fully recruited 

 after their thorough exhaustion from spawning. 



The Norfolk Herring Fishery. — From a recent official 



