36S On the Herring. 



TRANSITS OF JUPITER'S SATELLITES. 

 June 6th. Shadow of II. departs, lOh. 13m. 7th. I. 

 enters, 12h. 20m.; its shadow, 12h. 56m. 9th. Shadow of II. 

 goes off, 9h. 37m. 13th. Shadow of II. enters, lOh. 27m.; 

 II. goes off, llh. 20m. 16th. I. departs, lOh. 45m.; its 

 shadow, llh. 31m. Shadow of III., llh. 33m. (an interesting 

 conjuncture ; the two shadows will appear on the disc together, 

 that of III. being distinguishable by its larger size and slower 

 motion, and they will pass off nearly at the same time). 20th. 

 II. enters, llh. 20m. 23rd. III. enters, 9h. 49m. ; I. follows, 

 lOh. 21m.; shadow of I., llh. 14m.; III. goes off, llh. 52m.; 

 its shadow not entering till 13h. 22m. 



OCCULTATIONS. 

 June 11th. p 2 Leonis, 6 mag., lOh. 38m.. to llh. 37m. 

 17th. co 1 Scorpii, 4^ mag., 12h. 27m. to 13h. 34m. 



ON THE HERRING. 



BY W. NEWTON MACCARTNEY, COR. SEC. G. N. S. 



The history of the Glupea harengux is but imperfectly known, 

 our information comprising only a few more easily observed 

 facts, while those habits which would assist us in the preserva- 

 tion and cultivation of the herring-fishery have as yet escaped 

 our notice. What has been discovered is only the foundation 

 for future efforts, which, if conducted systematically, cannot fail 

 to produce valuable results. While our information concerning 

 some of the lower forms of life is so complete, it is to be re- 

 gretted that our knowledge of the herring is so meagre, for we 

 lay ourselves open to the cui bono of the utilitarian, who, ever 

 ready to pounce upon the naturalist, demands why we spend 

 time unravelling the generation of the medusas, the animalityof 

 the soophytes, and other questions, to the neglect of those 

 which, like the habits of the herring, have a greater interest, 

 and are of more economic value. Ajsyet, it must, be sonfessed, 

 deep mystery hangs over such questions as the age, season of 

 spawning, and many other habits of the herring, which, for the 

 public good, should be cleared up and set at rest, for measures 

 taken in ignorance may result ia the extermination of a most 

 important and valuable fishery. 



The herring is placed among the Phyeostomes* with the 

 salmon, <■<>(], i^-\, and other fishes, because the air-bladder and 



Stomach are joined by means of mm air-lube passing I'mm the 

 one bo the ol her. It, belongs to the order of Malacopterous 



fishes, which have their fins supported by flexible and branched 



