The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-05-08
FISHES OF THE SEA.

Ash, Etc.
Thomas ). BOdwitch. in Troy Times.
The life of all fishes is one of perpetual
warfare. The carnage of the sea exceeds
that which is allowed to perplex our
reasons on dry land. The herring sat-
isles many stomacbs "a broiled fresh
herring is a luxury), and it is an unfor-
tunaJe fish Withal. An old whaler has
known of a hogshead of herring being in
the belly of a whale, and fifteen good
| sized herrings have been found in the
stomach of q cod. Proceeding into
mathematics for a moment, if we allow
a Goldfish only two herrings per day for
his existence, and suppose him to feed on
herrings for one year, we have seven
hundred and thirty herrings as his allow
ance for twelve months, and fifty Goldfish
equal one fisherman in destructive
power. Compared with the enormous
consumption of fish by each other, the
draughts made upon the population of
the sea by man seems to dwindle into
insignifcance. The Soland goose can
swallow and digest six full sized herring
per day. 1t has been calculated that
in the island of st. Ktlda, assuming it
to be inhabited by 1000 of these birds
feeding for seven months in the year and
with the allowance of five herrings each
per day, the number of fish for the sum-
mer subsistence of a single species of
bird can not be less than 2I4 100000.
The herring was unknown to the an
clients. being rarely, if ever, found in the
Mediterranean. The Dutch are said to
have engaged in the fishery in 1854. The
invention of picking or sailing herring
is sscribed to one Benkels or Benkelson,
of Biervliet, near Sluys, who died in
1897. The Emperor Charles V. visited
his grave and ordered a magnificent
TOMB te be erected to his memory. Since
this early period the Dutch have uni
fOrmly maintained their ascendsncy in
the herring fishery. The fish is highly
appreciated by the Hollanderz them
selves, and the first barrel of the season
is sent to the king, carried in procession
with banners and music. A few of the
first catch are also presented TO the
mobiles The mode of fishing for herring
is by drift-nets; the fishing is carried on
only in the night, the most favorable
time being when it is quite dark, and
the surface of the water is ruffled by q
breeze.
The opinion once entertained that the
proper home of the herring is within the
Arctic circle, and that its vast shoals
issue thence at certain seasons, migrat-
ing southwark and spreading themselves
along the shores of Europe, Asia and
America, is now discarded as utterly
without foundation; and the herring is
believed TO be an inhabitant of deep
water, from which, at certain seasons, it
approaches the shores, probably never
migrating to any great distance. The
immense multitudes of herring annually
taken causes no apparent diminution of
their abundance, the destruction being
compensated for by prodigious fecundity;
more than 68, 900 eggs have been counted
in the roe OF single female.
TIE herring fisheries are extensively
carried on by the Norwegians, English,
French, Scotch, Danes, Irish, Germans,
Russians, Dutch and Swedes. The fish
cries of Norway employ between 10000
and 10000 men, and from 5000 to 6, geo
vessels-those of Great Britain about
| I0O,O 900 men and 5000 vessels. 1t is
stated the fishermen of one town, Lowe.
stoft. caught 100000 in two days.
This was more than could be cured
before they would spoil, and tons If
them were sold for compost. The value
of the herring catch of Canada in 1876
was over So, 100000. But herring, with
out any apparent cause, often desert
parts OF the coast where, for a time, they
have been remarkably abundant, not
returning in similar numbers till after
the lapse of a number of years. Such
| seems to be the case on our eastern
coasts. Until the last thirty years they
frequented the harbors of Cape Cod in
myriads from March till June. Since
| 4 hov IL
rare.
Msny years ago the fishermen on the
coast of Sussex and the opposite coast
OF France often had occasion to exchange
civilities. But how could they do so,
| not knowing the language? They got
over the difficulty by an exceedingly
simple process. They exchanged child
| ren. A Sussex man took the son of g
Frenchmsn to board for a time in his
| family, and let the FCenchman have his
son in return. In this accommodating
way French fishcr-boys learned English,
and English fisher.boys learned French
| It was a beautiful arrangement, for be.
sides any advantages derived from ling
uRl inteTcommunication, feelings of good
viii grew up between the two nations
The shad is adelicious edible. It Ii
a rival of salmon, 7 first shad il
our market in the season comes from
| the Savannah river, and it commands 8
fabulous price. In March the fish
makes its appearance in the Hudson
and the fishermen make unusual effort!
to secure it. There are qualities in shst
as there sre In almost everything else
The best are caught In the Connection
river. Hudson river shad come next
after which the North Carolina shad arr
the best. Savannah chad are the poor
est, on the principle that the earliest
fruit s. the poorest. Shad run from tht
st. Lawrence to Charleston.
The Goldfish is sort of a national fish
It is known throughout the civilized
world. Ali the year round the catch j
goOd about Newfoundland and Nan
tucket sheals Immense quantities aT,
also caught near the DafOden islands
Norway. Goldfish are caught with (
hook and line, batting with CLANS o
herring, at a depth OF eighteen to fit!
ia5boms of water. Cod has no cOnnee
tiun with the commercial o. o. D., al
though cod Is g commercial article
Large quantities are sent to the Medi
terranean countries, and to Brazil. 1t
relished by Spaniards, Italians, Portu
guesa, Sicilians and Greeks. To tn
natives Of the West Indies ths cod is