"Barefoot may no neighbour wade To wash their hemp, and spoil the fry." BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER. ponds where electric eels abound are frequently knocked down by its violence; and the Indians of South America, where the gymnotus abounds, are frequently drowned while bathing, being stunned by the shock from these animals. It is remarkable that in tropical lands there are found the choicest fruits, the most beautiful flowers, the grandest plumage, the richest perfumes; and there, too, the rattle-snake has the deadliest poison, and the gymnotus its strange electrical power.* 1050. Why is the herring so called? From the German hær, an army, with reference to the numbers in which they move from place to place. 1051. Why do herrings migrate ? The migrations of the herring are analogous to those of certain birds. Impelled by unfailing instinct, the herring leaves the depths of our surrounding seas to deposit its spawn in the shallower waters of the coast, there to be vivified by the genial influence of the sun; and after accomplishing its purpose, it retires to the remoter deeps. 1052. The herring is essentially a northern fish; seldom has it been found so far south as the Bay of Biscay, in Europe, or the coast of Carolina, in America. Like plants that, flourishing in certain climates only, become fewer and more stunted the nearer they approach the limits of their zone, herrings decrease in number and size as they approach their assigned southern boundary-those caught on the southern shores of England being considerably smaller that those which frequent the coast of Norway. Thus it is that about the month of July, the grand array of herrings is found to the northward of the Shetlands, in distinct columns five and six miles long, three and four miles broad. Pressing for the shallows, they drive the sea before them in a continuous ripple. Sometimes they sink down fathoms deep for a few minutes, then again rising to the surface, sparkle in the sun like a prairie strewn with diamonds. Nor even during the calm summer night is the scene less brilliant, from the intense scintillations of phosphoric light exhibited by the countless myriads of moving fish. The quantity of life in these shoals would be completely beyond belief if we did not recollect that 36,000 eggs have been counted in the spawn of one herring. 1053. Why do herrings swim in shoals? Because, like migratory birds and quadrupeds, large numbers of * Pennant. "The scaly herd, a numerous throng, The poor man's wants, the great one's luxury."-SOMERVILLE. them are acted upon by the same necessity at the same time; they therefore move together by a common impulse, to fulfil an uniform end. Herrings, and all fishes that are known to swim in shoals, are solitary except when the necessity for spawning approaches, and then the prevailing need brings them together in enormous numbers. 1054. No adequate conception can be formed of the myriads of herrings and pilchards that move together in what are called shoals, which often extend many miles in length and breadth. In some of the lochs, or arms of the sea, on the west coast of Scotland, herrings have often been cast ashore by storms in such numbers that they have been used as manure for land. Upon one occasion, the bellman of Crail, at the eastern extremity of the peninsula of Fife, was sent round with the bell to announce that any one who chose to go to the shore would get a cart-load of live herrings for a shilling. This passed without much notice; but, by-and-bye, the bellman again went round, proclaiming that any one who chose might go and obtain a cart-load of live herrings for nothing. This announcement, of course, excited some speculation; but it was speedily followed by a third one-that any one who would be kind enough to go to the shore of Crail would get a shilling for taking away a cart-load of herrings. The explanation was, that a storm which was then prevailing continued to drive large shoals of herrings upon the shore; so that, when left by the ebb-tide, they lay in countless thousands for at least a mile and a half or two miles along the coast. The reason for the latter announcement was a fear on the part of the authorities of Crail, that such a quantity of animal matter remaining to putrify on the beach would taint the atmosphere, and cause disease. 1055. Why are few herrings and pilchards caught in the cold months? Because they then resort to deep waters, beyond the reach of nets. They keep to the bottom of the sea, where they feed upon small crustaceous animals and a minute species of shrimp not larger than a flea. This being their natural food and mode of feeding, it is impossible to take them with a hook, though a rare instance of a pilchard being hooked with a worm is upon record. Pilchards are, however, frequently found in the stomachs of large voracious fishes, caught during the colder months. "Before that, a plump vintner Kneeling, and offering incense to his deitie, Which shall be only this, red sprats and pilchers." BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER. 1056. What is the difference between the pilchard and the herring? The pilchard is a different species, thicker and smaller than the herring; the scales large, while those of the herring are small. The posterior edge of the dorsal fin is nearly over the centre of gravity, so that when a pilchard is held by this fin, the head rises, and the tail droops down, which is the reverse of what happens with the herring. The pilchard is a more southerly and more local fish than the herring, being found chiefly on the Cornish coasts; and it is rare that one is found beyond Dover, or even in the narrow part of the Channel. 1057. What are sprats? Sprats are a distinct species of fish, though of the herring family, of which those usually sold are full grown. 1058. Why do sprats usually appear soon after herrings have spawned? Because sprats approach the shore for the like purpose of spawning, their season being a little later than the herrings. The resemblance of the sprat to the herring, and their becoming abundant soon after the herring season, has led to the erroneous supposition that sprats are young herrings. 1059. What are whitebait? They are a distinct species* and not, as generally supposed, the fry of a larger kind. 1060. About the end of March, or early in April, whitebait begin to make their appearance in the Thames, and are then small, apparently but just changed from the albuminous state of very young fry. In September, specimens of whitebait, the young fish of the year, may be taken as long as four or five inches but they * Clapea alba. Yarrel. "The lusty salmon, then, from Neptune's wat'ry realm, When as his season serves, stemming my tideful stream."-DRAYTON. www are even then mixed with others of very small size, as though the roe had continued to be deposited throughout the summer. In their habits they appear to be similar to the young of the herring, always keeping in shoals, and swimming occasionally near the surface of the water, where they often fall a prey to aquatic birds. Whitebait live upon minute crustacea. 1061. What are anchovies? Anchovies are a genus of soft-finned fishes,* belonging to the family of herrings, but separated from that genus by certain structural differences of habit and haunt. 1062. The habits of all the herring family are similar: they are migratory, and swim in shoals; and, with the exception of the shad, and those species which frequent the great freshwater lakes and do not migrate to the sea, they all remain in salt water. The anchovies inhabit waters nearer to the equator than the herrings, and may be said to take up the occupation of the sea where the herrings leave it off. 1063. Why do salmon arrive in some rivers earlier than in others? It has been suggested that this depends upon the varying warmth of the waters; those highland rivers which arise from large locks being all early, owing to the warmer temperature and great mass of their sources; while those rivers which are swollen by melting snows in the spring months are later in their fish-producing season. 1064. Why do female salmon in the spawning season ascend the rivers before the males? Because the former are impelled by a necessity which probably operates in a higher degree with them than with the latter: the males, therefore, follow the females, and pair, and attend them during their spawning, and afterwards become, as it were, their escort to the sea. 1065. The sexes of fishes, if we except the sharks and rays, offer no very decided external characters. In the males, the respiratory organs occupy more space than * Engraulis encrasicolus. "The salmon, (which at spring forsakes Thetis' salt waves,) to look on him, Upon the water's top doth swim."-SHERBburne. in the females; and the abdomen is larger in the females than in the males: the males may be distinguished by their somewhat sharper and more pointed head, the greater length of gill cover, and the body, from the dorsal fin downwards, being not so deep compared with the whole length of the fish. The organs of reproduction consist of two elongated oval lobes of roe, one on each side of the body, placed between the ribs and the intestinal canal; the lobes in the female called hard roe, contain a very large number of roundish ova, or eggs, enclosed in a membranous bag. In the male, the lobes of roe are smaller than in the females, and have the appearance of two elongated masses of fat, which are called soft roe. In the spawning season, these soft rows become fluid, and are voided during the time of spawning, the ova of the female being impregnated thereby. 1066. Why do salmon, when either ascending or descending rivers, halt in the brackish water where fresh and salt water mingle? By so doing, they accustom themselves gradually to the change of element which they have to undergo. And here they obtain a release from numerous parasitic animals, those of the salt water being destroyed by contact with fresh, and vice versâ. 1067. Why is the flesh of the salmon red? It has been assumed by Dr. Knox, that this redness is owing to the peculiar food upon which the salmon subsists when at sea— consisting of the eggs of various kinds of small marine animals. Salmon are known to eat, also, sand-eels, small fishes, and various diminutive marine animals. Mr. Morrison stated before the Highland Society, that he had taken salmon within flood mark, some of which had two, and others three, full-sized herrings in their stomachs. 1068. What circumstances give rise to the various varieties of trout? It is probable that there are not only varieties, but that there is more than one species of river trout. But when we consider geologically the various strata traversed by rivers in their course, the effect these variations of soil must produce upon the water, |