98 



THE SEA FISHERIES 



The question of races of herring is one of great interest, being 

 still the subject of investigation. Heincke^ has carried out a most 

 laborious and painstaking investigation of the body-differences of 

 different samples of herring obtained from most of the fishing 

 grounds of Northern Europe, and as a result he announced that he 

 was able to distinguish two main groups of herring, namely Spring 

 or Coastal herring and Autumn or Sea herring. The maia differences 

 between these two groups may be summarised thus : — ^ 



Not only did Heincke claim to be able to distinguish these two 

 main races, but he also stated that he had proved the possibility 

 of separating a larger number of local groups, each with its dis- 

 tinguishing characters. According to this view a race of herring 

 frequents a particular spawning ground, returning there every year 

 to spawn. The question is so important that it is necessary to 

 examine the evidence on which Heincke 's results are based. 



At the commencement of his work he made body measurements 

 of the herring with regard to four characteristics. Subsequently 

 these were extended to include a larger number ; he found, never- 

 theless, that the four originally chosen gave him the most im- 

 portant results. 



These four characters are : — 



1. Distanceof the dorsal fin from the end of the snout. Measured 

 from the end of the snout with the mouth closed to the root of the 

 first fin ray of the dorsal fin. " D " in Heincke 's Tables. 



2. Distance of the ventral fin from the end of the snout. Measured 

 from the end of the snout with the mouth closed to the root of the 

 first fin ray of the ventral fin. " V " in the Tables. 



« Compiled from "Die Fische der Ostsee," von Mobius u. Heincke, Berlin. 

 Paul Parey, 1883, pp. 136 and 137. 



