Clafs IV. H A K oe 157 
at this time uninformed of the ftate of this fithery, 
but find that Mr. Szzth, who wrote the Hiftory of 
the County of Waterford, complain even in his time 
(1746) of its decline. Many of the gregarious fith 
are fubject to change their fituations, and defert 
their haunts for numbers of years, and then return 
again. We fee p. 78, how unfettled the Bafking 
Shark appears to be: Mr. Smith inftances the lofs 
of the Hadock on the Waterford fhores, where they 
ufed to fwarm; and to our own knowledge we can 
bring the capricioufnefs of the herrings, which fo 
frequently quit their ftations, as another example. 
Sometimes the irregular migration of fifth is ow- 
ing to their being followed and haraffed by an un- 
ufual number ‘of fifh of prey, fuch as the fhark 
kind. 
Sometimes to deficiency of the fmaller fifh, which 
ferved them as food. 
And laftly, in many places to the cuftom of traw!- 
ing, which not only demolifhes a quantity of their 
fpawn, which is depofited in the fand, but alfo de- 
ftroys or drives into deeper waters numberlefs worms 
and infects, the repaft of many fifh. 
The hake is in England efteemed a very coarfe 
fifh, and is feldom admitted to table either frefh or 
falted *. 
-Thefe fifh are from a foot and an half to near 
twice that length: they are of a flender make, of 
_ apale afh color on their backs, and of a dirty white 
on their bellies. 
* When cured it is known by the name of Poor Fobn. 
L 4 Their 
Defer, 
