5‘JO Mil. C. STAOY-WATSON ON THE HERRING. 
fishermen delight to take, and whilst giving due weight to the 
important fishing grounds in other parts, we will nevertheless 
claim for the Yarmouth fisheries the pre-eminence, and endorse the 
declaration made by Sir H. Spelman, that “ here is the noblest 
fishery for Herrings in Europe.” 
Spring Herrings. — These fish put in an appearance the 1st 
week in March, about fifty miles E.N.E. of the South Crossing 
Sands, and slowly move in a south-westerly direction, so that at the 
close of the fishing, about the middle of May, they are last seen 
about fifteen miles off Lowestoft high light. It is yet an open 
question as to whether they are a distinct variety, some contending 
that they return and are what are afterwards known as the 
midsummer Herring ; they are very lean and thin, from 8 inches 
to 1 1 inches long, an occasional fish is found containing roe 
just forming, and it is thought they are young fish of about 
three to five months’ growth. Where they hide themselves when 
lost sight of is only a matter of conjecture, some fishermen hold 
the opinion that they bury themselves in the sand or mud at 
the bottom, in support of which they state they have brought 
them up with the dredge-net when trawling for Soles ; also that on 
other occasions they have with the drift-net brought them up 
covered with mud. This statement, however, is so at variance 
with the hitherto disclosed habits of this fish, that I venture to 
doubt its correctness ; that shoals of Herrings may occasionally 
swim near the bottom in search of food, or to elude their enemies 
and be netted, with traces of the bottom soil upon them, is possible, 
but that they inter themselves in the mud or sand and remain 
there for weeks or months, until a period for their resurrection 
arrives, is to me very doubtful, my firm belief is that they dis- 
appear into the neighbouring deep waters, returning to the home 
of their nativity, when fully matured, for the purpose of spawning 
at the regular period. 
Midsummer Herrings. — These are found on nearly the same 
grounds, but not quite so distant. They are met with in the first 
week of June, some five to six weeks after the spring Herrings 
have departed. They work their way southward in towards the 
shore, so that in the second week in July they are within a 
few miles of ISouthwold beach, where they bid the fishermen 
farewell, and depart for haunts still unknown to man. At the 
