NOTES ON THE FISHES OF JAPAN. 



257 



man would be very considerable. Bjornson's statement that 

 wherever a "school" of Herring touches the coast of Norway 

 there a village springs up would be applied by Starr Jordan, 

 with good reason, to Scotland, Newfoundland, and from Alaska 

 to Japan. The authors of the ' Fishes of Japan ' observe that 

 the total catch for 1901 was 7,825,380 lbs., in 1902, 8,979,580 lbs., 

 and in 1903, 9,746,680 lbs. The fishery takes place chiefly in 

 March and April off Hokkaido, when the temperature of the 

 water is 42*80° (6°C), and frequent visits are made by the 

 " schools " during the year to the shallow water inshore. Its 

 eggs are deposited on the seaweeds and the bottom in masses, as 

 in the British form, and each is said to deposit from 40,000 to 

 110,000 eggs, a considerably larger number, if correct, than in 

 the case of the British Herring, which has from 20,000 to 

 47,000. The egg is transparent, 1 mm. in diameter, and with 

 an oil globule. Fishing is by gill-nets and pound-nets, of which 

 a sketch is given. Besides the Herring itself the roe is dried, and 

 forms an important article of diet in Japan. 



The Urume-iwashi [Etrumeus microps), the second form, is 

 found on the eastern shores of Japan, keeping to the deeper 

 water, and seldom visiting the bays except to spawn. It is 

 caught by gill-nets, seines, and a portable pound-net called 

 " Hachida-ami," which is set horizontally, the fishes being led 

 to it by three boats carrying torches, two extinguishing their 

 lights when they reach the net. The net is then lifted, and 

 when nearly hauled the third boat also puts out its light. No 

 statistics are given of the captures, but they are probably con- 

 siderably less than is the case of the North Pacific Herring t 

 It is consumed either fresh or dried in the sun. 



The Japanese Anchovy, which resembles our own, extends 

 from the south of Hokkaido to Kiushiu. Its egg is also pelagic 

 and ovoid with a reticulated yolk. " Schools " of Anchovies visit 

 the bays from April to June to spawn. They are captured by 

 drag-seine, sweep-nets, and a kind of set-net. Besides being 

 used as an article of food, it is employed as a fertilizer on farms, 

 like the Sprat of the Firth of Forth. The fry are also largely 

 used in the dietary of the Japanese, a sufficient proof of their 

 great abundance, and in a country where such captures have 

 been made for ages. 

 Zonl. 4th aer. vol. XIII., July, 1909. x 



