272 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



fixed laws, is hazardous and uncertain ; and Mr. Couch, 

 who resides upon the spot, appears to think, that, one 

 year with the other, the greater part of the Cornish 

 proprietors of the pilchard nets (or seins) obtain no more 

 than their expenses ; but when there is a profit, it is 

 usually considerable ; and thus every one hopes for a 

 prize. The pilchard was supposed to migrate like the 

 herring, but its range is now ascertained to be even 

 more limited ] it may be truly called a British fish, for 

 it seldom wanders through the Straits of Dover in a 

 northward direction, and its most southern range extends 

 only to the coasts of France and Spain, where they are 

 never found in any considerable numbers. It v^'ould 

 seem to be found in Scotland, as Mr. Yarrell considers 

 it the gipsy herring of that country ; but he makes no 

 mention of the localities in that kingdom where it has 

 been captured. On the coast of Cornwall it seems to 

 be found at all seasons : they sometimes congregate in 

 immense numbers in jNIarch, and, in some years, thou- 

 sands of hogsheads have been taken at that season ; but 

 it is only in July that they regularly unite permanent 

 in society for the rest of the year : it is then that the 

 regular fishery commences, and it is continued until the 

 equinoctial gales of autumn render its further prosecu- 

 tion impracticable. "When thus united near the coast, 

 observes Mr. Couch, the pilchards assume the arrange- 

 ment of a mighty army, with its wings stretching 

 parallel to the land; the whole being composed of num- 

 berless smaller bodies, which are alternately joining the 

 main body, shifting their position, and again separating. 

 There are three chief stations to which they resort, and 

 which have a separate influence on the success of the 

 fishery : one is to the eastward of the Lizard Point ; 

 the second is between this and the Land's End ; and 

 the third is on the north coast of Cornwall, towards St. 

 Ives. It is no uncommon circumstance for one of these 

 districts to be full of fish, while no shoal is to be met 

 with in the others. It was formerly the custom to sta- 

 tion men on such elevated situations near the sea as 



