372 On the Hening. 



approaches, slip on board a fishing craft, and spend a night at 

 the sea. As the sun sinks beneath the western hills we leave 

 the shore, our sails are unfurled, and our boat dashes out to sea. 

 The fishers watch for signs of the herring, which are easily 

 noticed, for yonder the gulls and gannets are in plenty, wheel- 

 ing in the air, and then dashing into the sea, emerging with a 

 clujpea for supper. The herring are there in plenty, and to 

 that place our course is shaped. As we approach, a faint 

 phosphorescence is noticeable on the waters, caused by the pre- 

 sence of the herring " scull." Here, then, we begin to shoot 

 our nets, which are in lengths of 800 to 2000 yards, having 

 meshes of one inch. The net, as it is passed over the stern of 

 the boat, has small corks along the upper edge, with here and 

 there large bladders, which keep it above the surface, while the 

 lower and under part sinks to a depth of eight yards. When 

 all the net is out, the boat is allowed to drift, with the net 

 attached. When morning breaks the net is hauled in, the 

 fish unmeshed, and then the boat is turned harbourwards, with 

 her cheeping cargo — for the fish emit a sound similar to that — 

 and we arrive just as the sun rises above the eastern hills, 

 gilding with glory the rippling waves. The drift-net allows 

 the fish to entangle themselves — no force is used, and the shoals 

 of fish are not disturbed, for, while the fish are moving about 

 during the night they come against the meshes, and in their 

 efforts to pass on get caught by the gill covers, and are cap- 

 tured. The herring caught in the drift-net are all healthy, livery 

 herring, because only these swim near the surface. They are, 

 therefore, " halesome faring," while those taken by the trawl 

 are unfit for human food. 



Herring can be caught by means of bait, and they often 

 rise to an artificial fly; but the formation of their gills, and 

 the tenderness of their mouth, renders their capture difficult. 



We have made mention of the fish leaving some spawning- 

 beds, and staying away for many seasons. The fisher thinks 

 they are scared by noise; and in Scotland, in olden times, no 

 cannon was allowed to be fired during the time of spawning. 

 If is said that the herring forsook the Baltic after the battle of 

 Copenhagen, and are only now returning to their former 

 haunts. 



Lately an outcry arose against burning kelp and running 

 Bteamboatij aa the smoke of the one and tho noiso of the other 

 scared the fish away ; hut the most wonderful reason given 

 for their disappearance is ilia! mentioned by a Member of 



Parliament, in [885, before the House of Commons. He said 



that the herring had deserted the coasts near the residence of 



a priest who had signified his intention of taking tithes offish. 



In concluding this brief sketch of tho herring and its 



