PILCHARD. 
81 
at that season. Large numbers have then gone beyond the 
reach of the longest lines; for they are seen to rise to the 
surface when the season changes, at a still more considerable 
^tance west or south of the Scilly Islands. But such seclusion 
rs not always sought; and it is in our notes that schools (in 
one instance believed to contain a thousand hogsheads) have 
come within the reach of drift-nets, and even of seans, in 
anuary, February, and March. Usually, however, at this 
season they are more scattered, or in smaller companies, and 
IS supposed that their subordinate motions are by drawing 
nearer the land by day, and passing into deeper water at 
night. The reason of these occasional early assemblages may 
c that the time of spawning in the spring has become per- 
manently early, for it is far from an unusual occurrence that 
many sorts of fishes shall anticipate or delay the more ordinary 
seasons of their race; but in April and May they are habitually 
Prepaied to shed their spawn, which they now do at a further 
s auce from land, and over deeper water than is the case at 
Warmer season of autumn, when again, early or later, they 
perform the same function, although we do not feel assured 
'^t they are the same fishes which thus perform the duty of 
procreation on both occasions. The number of males usually 
exceeds that of females, and sometimes they do so to a large 
1^*^^"^*^’ ^rit mingled with them are many that have no en- 
gement of the milt or roe, and some also which appear to 
®^of both sexes united. 
have reason to suppose that the spawn is shed at the 
^ce, and mingled with it a large quantity of tenacious 
mucus, in which it is kept floating while it is obtaining the 
y^vifying influence of the light and warmth of the sun, by the 
nence of which the development is considerably hastened. 
We know to be the case with many other kinds of fish, 
y notes on this subject are, that presently after spawning, a 
enclosing myriads of enlarging grains of spawn, 
® een seen to extend several miles in length, and a mile 
ha breadth, over the surface of the sea, and which 
not thickness of brown paper, and so tough as 
thi readily torn in pieces. In about a couple of days 
connecting mucus became decomposed, and the ova then 
'm to the bottom of the vessel in which they had been 
VOL. IV. ,, 
