THE SEA FISHERIES
'
281
'
_
spring :
we
drstinguish this vast
by that name,
for the word herring is derived from the German, H 677, - ‘
an
army,’ to express
their numbers.
“
They begin to appear off the Shetland isles in April
and May: these are only the torerunner—s of the ”grand
shoal which comes in june, and their appearance is marked
’
by certain signs, by the number of birds, such as Gannets
and others, which follow to prey on them ; but when the
main body approaches, its breadth and depth is such as to
alter the very appearance of the ocean.
It is divided into
distinct columns of ve or six miles in length and three or
four in breadth, and they drive the water before them
with a kind of rippling : sometimes they sink for the space
of teh or fteen minutes ,; their rise again to the surface,
and in bright weather— reect a variety of splendid
.like a eld of the most precious gems, in which, orrather
in a much more valuable light, should this stupéndous
gift of Providence be considered by the inhabitants of the
British Isles.”
But it is now generally agreed that this is a mi5taken
-
idea and that the herring may stay about in the deep
_
off—shore waters not far removed from the regi0n within
which they spawn.
It seems probable that while many
may keep thus within comparatively short distance of
the coasts, others 'may make considerable journeys even
.
ont into open
ocean waters.
It is thought that in adjacent
ocean
waters
they grow faster than near the coasts,
and it is possible to trace their movements each year by,
the‘rate of growth shown 0ntheir scales.
.
.
-
No sh in the sea are caughti
numbers as
'
,
the herring. One boat may Catch over 100,000 sh a day ,
and the total catch on such a day for Yarmouth would be
=
30,000,000._
‘
.
'
_
'
,
This great sher—y gives employment to an army of
'
281
'
_
spring :
we
drstinguish this vast
by that name,
for the word herring is derived from the German, H 677, - ‘
an
army,’ to express
their numbers.
“
They begin to appear off the Shetland isles in April
and May: these are only the torerunner—s of the ”grand
shoal which comes in june, and their appearance is marked
’
by certain signs, by the number of birds, such as Gannets
and others, which follow to prey on them ; but when the
main body approaches, its breadth and depth is such as to
alter the very appearance of the ocean.
It is divided into
distinct columns of ve or six miles in length and three or
four in breadth, and they drive the water before them
with a kind of rippling : sometimes they sink for the space
of teh or fteen minutes ,; their rise again to the surface,
and in bright weather— reect a variety of splendid
.like a eld of the most precious gems, in which, orrather
in a much more valuable light, should this stupéndous
gift of Providence be considered by the inhabitants of the
British Isles.”
But it is now generally agreed that this is a mi5taken
-
idea and that the herring may stay about in the deep
_
off—shore waters not far removed from the regi0n within
which they spawn.
It seems probable that while many
may keep thus within comparatively short distance of
the coasts, others 'may make considerable journeys even
.
ont into open
ocean waters.
It is thought that in adjacent
ocean
waters
they grow faster than near the coasts,
and it is possible to trace their movements each year by,
the‘rate of growth shown 0ntheir scales.
.
.
-
No sh in the sea are caughti
numbers as
'
,
the herring. One boat may Catch over 100,000 sh a day ,
and the total catch on such a day for Yarmouth would be
=
30,000,000._
‘
.
'
_
'
,
This great sher—y gives employment to an army of