338 MR. T. SOUTHWELL OK THE SMELT IN NORFOLK WATERS. 
YIII. 
ON THE SMELT {OSMERUS EPERLANUS) FISHERY 
IN THE NORFOLK WATERS. 
By T. Southwell, F.Z.S. 
Read 7,oth November, 1886 . 
In nearly all the estuaries and important tidal rivers on the Scotch 
and English coast at certain seasons of the year is found a delicate 
little fish called (as some authors assert from the powerful cucumber- 
like odour which emanates from it when fresh taken) the Smelt. 
Although nowhere of such importance as to figure largely in the 
fisheries returns, for very many years a successful, and frequentl}’’ 
a very remunerative Smelt fishery, has been prosecuted in the 
Norfolk waters, and I doubt not in many other suitable localities. 
As I do not remember to have met with more than passing allusions 
to this industry in the works which treat on such subjects, I have 
thought it might be interesting to record such information as by 
personal observations, and through the kindness of various 
correspondents, I have been able to collect with regard to the 
Smelt Fishery in the county of Norfolk. 
The great estuary of the Wash has always been noted for the 
abundance of this fish taken in its shallows, and in the rivers 
which discharge themselves into its intricate channels. Of these, 
the Ouse is the most important, and a very ancient Smelt fishery 
is known to have been prosecuted in the portion of that river 
between Wiggenhall St. Germans and the town of Lynn, a distance 
of some seven miles. In a footnote to a curious old poem entitled 
the “Life of a Fen-man,” published at Lynn in 1771, it is stated 
that large quantities of Smelts come up the river Ouse to spawn, 
and are caught by the Fen-men, who make a considerable i)rolit. 
