374 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



merchants for pursuing there what has ever been a more or less 

 precarious business. The Mackerel season began in the middle 

 of May, and continued until the end of June. This restless and 

 wandering species was ever capricious ; in fine, calm weather 

 the catches were always poor, the fish swimming deeper in the 

 sea, and it is probable that it was sufficiently cunning and alert 

 to avoid the net 3 provided for its ensnaring. Bough, breezy 

 weather, " with plenty of colour in tJie water,"* as an old Mackerel 

 catcher described it, is always most favourable, rousing the fish 

 from below, and bringing them to the surface within reach of 

 the fatal meshes. 



" Next mora they rose and set up every sail ; 



The wind was fair and blew a Mackerel gale."f 



— Dryden. 



Gillingwater presents us with a number of statistics respect- 

 ing the Mackerel Fishery in what he terms "An Account of the 

 Mackerel Fishery at Lowestoft from 1770 to 1785 inclusive." 

 This appertains principally to the number of boats employed 

 annually, and the amounts realized from the sale of the fish. I 

 append a few of these dates, omitting several for the sake of 

 brevity : — 



Year. Boats. £ s. d. 



1770 26 2,401 2 2* 



1772 33 3,179 5 1 



1774 35 2,012 13 



1776 30 1,595 17 8* 



1778 21 1,295 19 H 



1780 20 1,559 3 10 



1782 16 (average per) 136 1 2 



1784 20 I boat ) 119 5 1H 



1785 * 20 249 8 8£ 



[* Supposed to be the greatest Mackerel season ever known at Lowestoft.] 



Gillingwater's " greatest season" was eclipsed in 1821, when 

 the catches reached huge proportions. On June 30th sixteen 

 Lowestoft boats caught Mackerel to the value of £5252, being 

 an average of £328 per boat, and it was estimated that a sum of 



* Most likely due to the presence of minute marine creatures upon 

 which the Mackerel may be feeding. 



f Dr. Johnson, in his ' Dictionary,' describes a Mackerel gale as "a strong 

 breeze, such as is desired to bring Mackerel fresh to market." I prefer to 

 take the generally accepted idea of a stirring wind. 



