Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-12-28
Herrings.


Herrings.
In both Englshd and Ameriea the
herring fishery is ofgreat Importance
Is Guyier ssys-@lt forms robust men,
intrepid mariners and experienced
navigators. The nations Industrious
" oecupied in this fishery know how
TO make it the source of inexhausti-
bic riches The legislation of Mass
achusetts, from the old colonial days
to the present, shows to how great an
extent our people are interested in it,
and Il is no less the object of legisla
Tive action IN England and Scotland.
The herring was unknown to-the
fsh eaters OF ancient Greece ane
Rome, and it was Lot until many
rearssafter Cesar landed in Britain,
that the quality and value of this fish
was known beyond the limits of the
islands. Mr.. John NJ. Mitchell, whose
book on eThe Herring" is noticed at
length in q recent number Of the
Westminster Review, gives q very
interesting account of the appearance
: and habits of herring shoals, as seen
on the coast of Norway and Scot
land. The large masses of the whales
rising and blowing and throwing up
great quantities of the herring into
the air, sparkling and glittering in
the clear winter day; the constant
movements of the birds, with shriIl
notes actively engaged in seiZing
their easily obtained food, Yying with
man in. their attacks upon the count
less myriads of behring's; and the ap-
p~earanee of numbers of fishing boats
and vessels, with the sound OF The
voices of an active body OF fishermen
the ocean on the one side and tn
dark and lofty rocks on the other, is
one of the most extraordinary and IN
teresting sights that can be contem-
plated. The fishermen watch for
these indications of the presence OF
herring shoals, the appearance offs whale
the examination of the stomach OF q cod
or ling, or of a gennet or other sea bird,
often ~reveals their whereabouts. Some
times the herring are observed TO be near
the surface Of the water, milking a rp-
ple," with no sign of the presence OF
whales or ravenous birds; sometimes they
become quasi flying fish, rising up out OF
tho water in a vast mass of many yards
in extent. sparkling and flashing, and
nying several feet above the surface
There are signs of danger and alarm when
the herring are pursued by the doghsh.
the notion for 8 long time prevailed
that the herring spent the winter within
the Arctic circle, and that they went
thither in immense armies at the close
of summer to recruit themselves after
the fatigue OF Spawning. SeTting ABIDE
the inpossihility of a fish, the size OF 8
herring making two such Journeys in the
course of the year, there are positive
proofs against this theory which were
published years $50. although the last
edition of the Encyolopedia Bri;annlca
cont ms this SAN olG story. The repro
ductlan of the he rinS is 8 very interest
ing subject, and one that has long esen
studied It seems now evident that they
spaN n at TWO seasons of tie yerr-in the
spring and in TIE aurumn.% IL she Brit
ish waters February and &srcE are the
great months for the spring spawning,
and August and September. the autumn
It is not likely that the same hsh spawn
twice in the saEe year, but that the
spring and autumn spawnings are entire
" distinct.
The ordinary methods for taking her
ring are by feet OF. drift nets and by the
seine nets. The Scotch feet net Is made
either of hempen t1ine or Gotten, and IS
fifty yards in length, and the boat has
from twelve TO City nets on board. The
Law requires that the meshes shall not be
less thxu one inch square, that the small
er fab that ale unfit for the market may
alp through. When about to be used ali
the nets are united at the top, and be-
tween each net IS fastened q buoy 10 q
rope OF four to eight fsthtsns in depth,
the buoy being The distinctive mark by
which fshernen can know their own
refs, in case Of storm or entanglement.-
This feet net may be used in two differ
ent ways; il may be allowed to move
along with the wind and tide when il is
turned adrift; or it is secured by meal
Of ropes and anchors, and held in its pro
Der position in cases where the water is
not toodsep. The seine net of the Scotch
fishermen resemble that in use here
One rope Is held IN shore, while the net
IL taken out by q boat which rows in q
seni circle determined by the rise of the
nst sna sassh.aiAhe aEag r0Pes<he boat
alter paying out the net in its course,
now GENES to shore with me second drag
rope the two crews hauling in both ropes
gradually approach each other until the
net becomes . bag containing the fish en-
closed in the space it has surrounded.-I
Sometimes two boats are used one desert
hing a semi circle round the other. In
Ireland. the poor people for want of 9th
or means, sew their blankets and sheets
together, often To the number of sixty,
for the purpose of forming a substitute
for g net, each person getting 9 share OF
herring in proportion, the people having
nothing to cover them when their bed
clothes are used in this way. At such a
scene as this We may readily recall the
touching song
-Whan buy my caller herrin!
They reno brought here without brave daring; /
Buy nv caller herria. 4
1e little ken their worth. |
Whsn buy my caller herrins
lye may ca them vulgar fraia,, |
Wives and mither maist despairing.
Ca them hses OF men," L
Herring, as every body knows are eaten
fresh or cured. OF their excellence few
require to be reminded, and
there is no little competitor for the honor
of originating the happy ideas of sailing
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