﻿FISHES. 
  

  

  263 
  

  

  " 
  The 
  Pilchard 
  is 
  become 
  of 
  late 
  a 
  rare 
  fish 
  in 
  the 
  Firth 
  of 
  

   Forth, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  along 
  the 
  whole 
  eastern 
  line 
  of 
  the 
  Scottish 
  

   shores, 
  yet 
  about 
  thirty 
  years 
  ago 
  it 
  was 
  found 
  in 
  equal 
  

   abundance 
  in 
  certain 
  localities 
  as 
  the 
  common 
  herring." 
  

   (Parnell.) 
  This 
  was 
  prior 
  to 
  1839. 
  

  

  Notwithstanding 
  all 
  this 
  negative 
  evidence, 
  in 
  Olsen's 
  

   Piscatorial 
  Atlas 
  (1883), 
  it 
  is 
  made 
  to 
  appear 
  that 
  the 
  Firths 
  of 
  

   Tay 
  and 
  Moray 
  are 
  spawning 
  ground 
  for 
  the 
  Pilchard 
  — 
  an 
  

   evident 
  mistake. 
  

  

  Clupea 
  sprattus, 
  Linn. 
  Sprat. 
  Garvie. 
  Garvock. 
  

  

  Abundant. 
  Taken 
  in 
  quantities 
  in 
  the 
  Firths 
  of 
  Forth, 
  Tay, 
  

   and 
  Moray. 
  Like 
  its 
  near 
  relative 
  the 
  herring, 
  it 
  is 
  the 
  prey 
  

   of 
  many 
  other 
  fishes 
  and 
  of 
  marine 
  birds. 
  Many 
  a 
  stiff 
  battle 
  

   has 
  been 
  fought 
  over 
  the 
  question, 
  " 
  Is 
  the 
  Sprat 
  a 
  distinct 
  

   species?" 
  and 
  although 
  the 
  question 
  is 
  settled 
  in 
  the 
  affirma- 
  

   tive 
  by 
  those 
  best 
  able 
  to 
  give 
  an 
  opinion, 
  there 
  are 
  few 
  

   fishermen 
  that 
  will 
  admit 
  the 
  fact, 
  or 
  even 
  allow 
  that 
  there 
  

   are 
  any 
  so 
  well 
  qualified 
  to 
  settle 
  the 
  matter 
  as 
  them- 
  

   selves. 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  the 
  species, 
  along 
  with 
  young 
  herrings, 
  which 
  is 
  

   cnred, 
  tinned, 
  and 
  sold 
  as 
  sardines. 
  

  

  Clupea 
  finta, 
  Guviar. 
  Twit-shad. 
  Rock-herring. 
  

  

  "We 
  observe 
  this 
  fish 
  enter 
  the 
  Firth 
  of 
  Forth 
  in 
  tolerable 
  

   abundance 
  towards 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  July, 
  and 
  dozens 
  are 
  then 
  taken 
  

   in 
  the 
  salmon 
  nets." 
  (Parnell.) 
  Although 
  this 
  cannot 
  be 
  said 
  

   to 
  be 
  an 
  abundant 
  species 
  along 
  the 
  coasts 
  of 
  Kincardine, 
  

   Aberdeen, 
  Banff, 
  and 
  Moray 
  shires, 
  it 
  is 
  frequently 
  taken 
  

   during 
  summer 
  both 
  by 
  line 
  and 
  trawl. 
  

  

  Cupea 
  alosa, 
  Linn. 
  Allis-shad. 
  

  

  Although 
  this 
  form 
  has 
  been 
  looked 
  upon 
  as 
  a 
  distinct 
  

   species 
  from 
  the 
  preceding, 
  there 
  seems 
  little 
  difference 
  

   between 
  the 
  two, 
  and 
  that 
  only 
  in 
  the 
  number 
  or 
  absence 
  of 
  

   the 
  dark 
  marks 
  along 
  the 
  sides. 
  I 
  merely 
  record 
  the 
  name, 
  

   hoping 
  that 
  opportunity 
  may 
  be 
  presented 
  whereby 
  proof 
  

   may 
  be 
  given, 
  either 
  yea 
  or 
  nay. 
  

  

  