278 
SMELT. 
to three or four inches in length. In August, and afterwards, 
they abound, aiid^ they continue to pass upward and down 
with the tide, until their full-grown parents and predecessors 
are coming up again to breed, at which time they take their 
final departure. From the difference of season observed in 
their migrations by these smaller and larger examples, with 
some other variations of habit, and a degree of dissimilarity 
in form, it was once supposed that these old and yount^er 
fish were of different species, and as such they are spoken°of 
by Jonston, as well as by Bloch, who has given a representa- 
tion of both; but at this time no doubt remains of their being 
of one kind, and only in different stages of growth. 
The Smelt is ^ inhabitant of the more northern portions 
of a temperate climate, and is common so far north as Sweden. 
In Scotland, and the east and west coasts of England it is 
abundant; but, as appears from Mr. Thompson, it °is less so, 
and local, in Ireland, and none have been recognised alono- 
the shores of England from the Thames westward to the 
Lands End. On the north coast of Cornwall, as about St 
Ives, a few have been taken, and Mr. Dillwyn mentions them 
as occurring at Swansea, although rarely, and we have noticed 
that there is an established fishery for Smelts in the Severn. 
I have been informed, on what appears to be competent 
authority, that they are not uncommon at Brest; and Duhamel 
says it is taken in abundance at the mouth of the Seine. 
Mr. Yarrell refers to some trials which had been made to 
preserve these fish in ponds of fresh water, and we learn 
from Nilsson that such is their usual habit in the middle and 
north of Sweden; where they are found in lakes which have 
a sandy bottom throughout the year, except when they quit 
them for the purpose of shedding their spawn, which is emdy 
m April. It IS then they leave the deeper water, and pass uu 
in thousands to the shallower shores of rivers, where thev are 
caught in multitudes. It is there observed that the schools 
of Smelts of larger and smaller size do not associate tm^ether- 
in which, however, they only follow the example of several 
other species of sociable fishes. The smaller Smelts are con- 
sidered as good bait for the Pike. 
The Smelt rarely exceeds nine or ten inches in length- the 
example described measured seven inches to the fork of the 
