SALMONID^. 123 



rivers in spring to spawn, and only stops its upward course at some insurmount- 

 able barrier. It appears to be particularly partial to small fish and shrimps. 

 In some parts of Sweden, Nilsson found that they remained in lakes which 

 possess sandy bottoms all the year round : in the spring they migrate to the 

 shallow portions and ascend rivers. 



Colonel Meynell, of Tarm, in Yorkshire, kept these fish for four years in a 

 fresh- water pond, which had no communication with the sea ; and Yarrell states 

 that they continued to thrive and propagated abundantly. The pond being 

 frozen over did not afEec*. them, and they did not lose either flavour or quality 

 (Wern. Mem. December I7th, 1825). Mr. Bgerton acclimatized these fish in 

 fresh water, in a lake at Roselherne Manor, Knutsford, Cheshire. Many are 

 kept alive in tanks in the JS"orwich fish-market until required for use (Southwell). 



Mr. W. Wankly of Grange-over- Sands, Lancashire, sent an account of these 

 fish to Land and Water, and observed he was much struck with the very rapid 

 growth of the sparling from October to March— in October ten or twelve 

 together weighed no more than 1 lb., in March the fish were 4 oz. to 6 oz. each, 

 and occasionally one or more in a take weighed close on 8oz. He opened a 

 sparling as soon as it was taken out of the net, and found six, seven, and eight 

 herring fry : next he tried the experiment of thus opening one or two alive, and 

 taking others home intact, and always found nothing but digested food when 

 the latter were gutted to be cooked. Opening some of the herring fry taken 

 out of the fresh-taken sparling, i.e., just out of the water, he repeatedly found 

 in the herring fry small shrimps, most neatly stowed away. The gastric juice or 

 fluid of the sparling was so acrid, that' when he wiped his hands on his pocket- 

 handkerchief and then used the handkerchief to blow his nose, both his nostrils 

 and lips were inflamed and irritated, and more than once his tongue swelled in an 

 extraordinary manner. The sparling were following and feeding on the herring 

 fry, or herring ewes, as they are called there. The sparling are very uncertain 

 and apparently fickle in their visits to their supposed haunts — i.e., in holes near 

 rocks, where fresh- water streams mingle with tidal water. One day 201b. or 

 30 lb. may be taken ; then for a week or ten days only an odd fish or two will 

 be got ; then a week of good takes. They are easily driven away, for on one 

 occasion some men left a boat anchored in a hole to reserve the right of first 

 draw. Whilst that boat remained there no sparling rested in the hole, but when 

 it was removed they returned to their haunt. 



Means of capture. — In Norfolk the fishery commences in March, and continues 

 until the middle of April, during which period the fish are full of roe. The 

 smelter, says Lubbock, hour after hour does he persevere, moored exactly in the 

 same spot with a torch attached to the side of his broad flat-bottomed boat (for 

 this is a nocturnal occupation) in flinging his immense casting net, dropping the 

 near side of it at each throw, within three inches of the torch. One fortunate 

 cast, if smelts sell well, may recompense him for hours of fatigue, wet, and cold : 

 and he waits like the losing gambler for the lucky throw which is to brighten his 

 fortune. The smelts captured are kept alive in a tank. They are likewise taken 

 in the estuary of the Ouse and in Breydon by means of stake nets. It appears to 

 be partial to sandy shores, as off the Lincolnshire coast, while the different schools 

 appear to consist of fish much of one size. 



At the outlets of many of our larger rivers were or are smelt fisheries which 

 must have been carried on for long periods, because we find a mesh for the 

 purpose of taking smelts legalized at the time of Queen Elizabeth. They may 

 be caught with a paternoster line and No. 8 or 9 hooks, floats may or may not be 

 used, shrimps either fresh or boiled, gentles, a red worm, or slices of fish form 

 good baits. Bread crumbs have been recommended as ground bait Early 

 mornings and late of evenings have been considered the best times for this fishing. 



In the Solway Firth the best fishing season is in September, but they 

 disappear the next month until March and April when they ascend to spawn. 



Breeding. — Ova small, of a yellow colour, while the females are said to 

 preponderate largely in numbers over the males. On January 13th, 1882, the 

 season being very mild, I obtained smelts with the ova half developed. They 



