Several ftationarv fifheries are eftablififed on the weft of ble. Not lefs than one thoufand two hundred boats are 
Scotland and Ireland; but the herrings are by no means 
uniform in reforting to the i'une loch or bay annually. 
They frequent a certain fpace fora number of years, and 
then capricioufty defert it for perhaps as many more. On 
the coalt of Wales, and among the Hebrides, they have 
at different times occupied and deferred their feveral na¬ 
tions, without any apparent cauie. But although this 
ftupendous gift of the munificent Author of Nature, is at 
times partially diftributed, it is never.totally withdrawn, 
8 The fame inltindt invariably operates ; and, if one part is 
deprived of its-effects, another teems with plenty, and 
relieves the neceffity of 1'uch as are lei's liberally fupplied : 
thus, thoufar.ds of the poor are annually fupported, and 
rendered happy, by that inltindt which the Almighty 
hath originally imprefl’ed upon this ufeful part of his crea¬ 
tures. 
But this appetite for migration, which brings the her¬ 
ring annually to our Ihores, ferves alfo purpofes of the 
greateft importance in the economy of thefe animals : it 
leads them to the (hallow and tepid waters of the tempe¬ 
rate zone, to depofit their fpavvn, where it is matured and 
vivified with greater certainty than in the midft of the 
frozen ocean. The multiplication of their kind, is, there¬ 
fore, perhaps the primary ourpofe of nature in the mi¬ 
gration of the herring. It is not from a defect of food 
that they abandon regularly their northern retreats; for 
it is immediately after leaving thefe, that they are molt 
plump : before their return, they are greatly reduced 
by fpawning, and are then thin and miferable. The time 
of fpawning is from the beginning of winter till January, 
when they almoft totally difappear from our coaits, or are 
taken in fmall ftraggling parties by the fifhermen, for the 
purpofe of bait. It is probable, that at the time they 
abandon our feas, they again repair to the north, to re- 
ftore their vigour, and, by impregnation, to replace that 
immenle walte, which the exertions of man, and the ra¬ 
pacity of other fifties, has made of their fpecies. The 
fpawn, after being dilcharged by the parent fiihes, con¬ 
tinues to float on the waves for a confiderable part of the 
fpring. In the beginning of fummer, the young enter 
upon life, and in June and July are feen in vaft numbers 
approaching the Ihores. They are then about two inches 
in length, and moll probably feed upon infeCts, as thou- 
fands have been caught a little after that period with the 
common trout fly. Along the Yorklhirecoalt, thefe young 
filh are called file-, upon that of Scotland, they obtain the 
the general name ot fry, which feems to be applied indif- 
criminately to the young of all fifli. During winter, it is 
probable that the young lien ings retire to the north,along 
with the old. On their appearance next fummer, although 
the Ihoals are made up of fifli of very different fizes, it does 
not appear that they are then diltinguilhable from the filh 
of greater age. 
The Dutch, who have fet the example to the other na¬ 
tions in almoft every thing relating to commercial induf- 
try, firft commenced the herring fifhery in 1164 ; and con¬ 
tinued in the exclufive poflellion of it for feveral centu¬ 
ries. At length the Englilh, routed by their gains, and 
jealous of that naval power of which it was the grand 
fource, endeavoured to participate in this lucrative com¬ 
merce, and for that purpofe fought many well-difputed 
battles, i hefuperior indultry and experience of the Dutch, 
always have,and probably long will, fecu re them the greatell 
fliare of this trade. The molt confiderable ltations of the 
Britifh filheries are off the Shetland and Weftern Illes, and 
off the coaft of Norfolk ; in all thefe ftauor.s the Dutch Ihips 
are ever ready to take their fliare. It appears from the 
report of the Committee of the Houfe of Commons, o:i 
the high price of proyifions, in December 1800, that for 
the lalt fix or feven years, a great and increafing win- 
ter-filhery for herrings has been carried on in the Firth of 
Forth. This fifhery, which begins at the end of October, 
and continues in full feafon till February, produces fo 
abundant a fuppiy, thatit maybe conlidered asinexhaulti.- 
employed in the fifhery ; and the total quantity taken lias 
been fuppofed equal to five hundred thoufand barrels, 
each containing about one thoufand herrings. 
Herrings fprinkled (or, as it is termed, “ roufed or corn¬ 
ed”) with a moderate quantity of (alt, will continue per¬ 
fectly good at lead two months, and are much fuperiof in 
flavour and in nutritive qualities to thole which are pre¬ 
pared for exportation to diftant countries, with a greater 
quantity of fait. If therefore the herrings in the Forth 
continue in full feafon till towards the middle of February, 
(beyond which time it is reprefented, by the bell judges, 
as injurious to the fifhery to permit them to" be taken,) 
they will be preferved to the middle of April, by the or¬ 
dinary method of curing in bulk; but it requires only a 
fmall addition of fait, and fomewhat greater attention, to 
make them fit for keeping a much more confiderable 
length of time. The ordinary price of herrings in the 
Forth, when frtfh out of the water, has not, in former 
years, exceeded live (hillings or fix (hillings per cran, a 
meafure containing about two gallons mot e than a barrel, 
(i.e. about thirty-four gallons) ; but, in the beginning, 
of this feafon, 1800, an unufual competition among the 
buyers raifed the price to twelve (hillings, and even to 
fifteen andiixteen per cran. But, at the very higheft price, 
it has been found that the Forth herrings could be retail¬ 
ed in London, (in the flated of roufed or fprinkled her¬ 
rings) with a moderate allowance totheperfons employed 
in retailing them, at the rate of two for one penny, a 
price greatly below what fifli of much inferior quality have 
ufually been fold for. Sixty-five pounds of fait are fufii- 
cient to preferve a cran of herrings, during the voyage 
lroui the Forth to any part of the coaft of England, and 
for iome weeks after their arrival, and to allow, in ordi¬ 
nary cafes, for fuch wafte as is unavoidable. 
In confeqOence of the above report, bills were paflfed 
the fame feliion, declaring, that all perfons engaged in the 
herring fifhery, fhould have fait, dutyfree, for the purpofe 
ot curing herrings : that all perfons engaged in the her¬ 
ring fiihery fhould, for a limited time, be protected from 
being imprefled into his majelly’s fervice; and that the 
bounty given upon pilchards packed up and prepared for 
exportation, fhould be allowed for all thole intended for 
home confumption. 
The mackrel fiihery begins on the fouthern and weftern 
coaits of England, when the herring fiihery ends. See 
Scomber. 
One William Beukelen of Biervlet, near Sluys, was thg 
inventor of the ufeful expedient of pickling herring ; and 
it is from him the operation has its name, both in th« 
Englilh and German languages. This great benefactor 
ot mankind died in 1397 ; and his memory was held in 
fuch veneration by the emperor Charles V. that he paid 
a vilit to his tomb. Others pretend that the fecret was 
difeovered by a Scottifh fifherman, who, having quitted 
his native country in difgufl, taught the Flemings this art,. 
The herrings cured in Flanders maintained a great repu¬ 
tation for many years. The Dutch, it is laid, are remark¬ 
ably fond of the herring in its pickled (fate: a premium 
is given by the (late to the firft bufs that arrives loaded 
with a cargo, which fells them for a very high price. The 
whole inhabitants welcome the arrival with 'bouts of ex¬ 
ultation ; and the fame joy leen.s painted on every face, 
which the Egyptians difplay on the firft overflowing of the 
Nile. 
The wife regulations of the Dutch to preferve the re¬ 
putation of their herrings, have contributed greatly to 
their increafe. Every faiior and fifherman is obliged, be¬ 
fore he lets out on the fifhery, to make oath net. to Ipread 
his nets before the 25th of June ; and, on their return, 
they again make oath that they have llridlly oblerved this 
injunction. Anotherlaw forbade the continuation of this 
fifhery beyond the 25th of January; this is not lefs fa¬ 
vourable to their increafe, lince it leaves thofe in quiet 
who have fpawned late. And hence the herring-fifhery. 
