The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-27
SOME UNLUCKY FISH.
THE DENIzENs OF THE DEEP WHICH
ARE DESTROYED NY WHOLESALE.
Two Hundred and Forty Millions Of Them
Eaten In n single summer by One
Species Of Bird, Not IN Mention Ru.
man Demands aud Those af other


| fare. The carnage OF the sea exceeds that
which Ia allowed to perplex our reasons on
dry land The herring satisfies many stom-
achs "a broled fresh herring Ia a luxury, and
1t is an unfortunate fish withal. An old whaler
has known OF hogshead Of herring being In
the belly of whale, and fifteen good-sized
behring's have been found In the stomach OF q
cod. Proceeding into mathematics for mo-
ment II we allow Goldfish only two behring's
per day for his existence, and suppose him to
feed on behring's for one year, we have $50 her
rings as his allowance for twelve months,
and fifty Goldfish equal one fisherman In de-
structive power. Compared with the enor-
nous consumption of fish by each other, the
drafts made upon the population of the sea
by man seems to dwindle into insignificance.
The Soland goose can swallow and digest six
full-sZed herring per day. 1t has been CalCu-
lated that In the island Of ST. Kilda. assum-
ing 1t to be Inhabited by 1000 of these birds,
feeding for seven months In the year, and
with the allowance OF five herring each per
day, the number Of fish for the summer SUBJ
sistence OF single species Of bird cannot be
less than 214,000,000.
The herring was unknown to the ancients,
being rarely, II ever, found In the Mediterra-
mean. The Dutch are said to have engaged In
the fishery In 1l64. The invention Of picking
or sailing herring Ia ascribed to one Benkels
or Benkelson, Of Biervliet, near Sluys, who
died In 1897. The Emperor Charles V visited
his grave and ordered magnificent tomb to
he erected to his memory. Since this early
period the Dutch have uniformly maintained
their ascendency In the herring fishery. The
fish is highly appreciated by the HOllanders
themselves, and the first barrel of the season
is sent to the King, carried In procession, with
BAN ers and music. few of the first catch
are also presented to the mobiles The mode
81 fishing for herring is by drift nets; the fish
ing Ia carried on only In the night, the most
favorable time being when 1t Ii quite dark,
and the surface Of the water Is rufiied by
breeze.
The opinion once entertained that the
proper home OF the herring Is within the
Arctic circle, and that its vast shoals issued
thence at certain seasons, migrating south
ward 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 inhabit-
ant Of deep water, from which, at certain sea-
sons. 1T approaches the shores, probably never
to any great distance. The Inn
mense multitudes OF herring annually taken
causes no apparent diminution in their
abundance, the destruction being compen-
sdted for by prodigious fecundity; more than
$4,000 eggs have been counted In the roe Of a
single female.
The herring fisheries are extensively car
ried on by the Norwegians, English, French,
Scotch. Danes, Irish. Germans, Russians,
way employ between 10000 and 10000 men,
and from 5000 and 6O00 vessels-thoae Of Great
Britain about 100000 men and 5000 vessels.
1T Is stated the fishermen Of one town. loves
toft, caught 22,O00000 in two days. This
was more than could be cured before they
would spoil and tons of them were sold for
compost. The value OF the herring catch of
Canada In 1876 was over 100000 900. But her
ring, without any apparent cause, often de-
sert parts OF the coast where for q time, they
have been remarkably abundant not return
ing In similar numbers till after the lapse of
u number of years. Such seems to be the
case On the Eastern coasts. Until the last
thirty years they freqnented the harbors OF
Cape God In myriads from March to June
Since that time they have become compare
lively rare
Many years ago the fishermen on the coast
y Sussex and the opposite coast Of France
often had occasion to exchange civilities. But
how could they do SO, not knowing the Ian
guage? They got over the difficulty by an
simple process. They exchanged
children. A Sussex man took the son of q
Frenchman to board for aitime In his family,
Ia this accommodating way French fisher
boys learned English and English fisher-boys
learned French. 1t was a beautiful arrange
ment,. for besides any advantage derived
from lingual intercommunication feelings Of
good will grew up between the two nations. |
The shad is delicious edible 1t is q rival
of salmon. The first shad In our market In
he season comes from the Savannah river, |
and 1t commands fabulous price. In March
his fish makes 1t appearance in the Hudson,
secure II. There are qualities in shad as there
IRE IN almost everything else. The best are |
,aught In the Connecticut river. Hudson |
liver shad come next, after which the North |
carolina shad are best. Savannah shad are
he poorest, on the principle that the earliest
ruit Is the poorest Shad run from the st.
Lawrence to Charleston.
The Goldfish Is a sort Of national fish. 1t
9 known throughout the civilized world. All
he year round the catch is good about New
Quantities are also caught near the Dafoden
Stands, Norway. Goldfish are caught wit
look and line batting with clans or herring,
It q depth OF eighteen to fifty fathoms Of
water. Cod has no connection with the COM
nercial G. O. d. although cod is CONNER
ial article. Large quantities are sent to the
Mediterranean countries and to Brazil. 1t is
elished by Spaniards, Italians, Portuguese,
icilians and Greeks. 10 the natives Of the
Vest Indians the cod is toothsome addition
een carried on for more than four centuries
Without any interruption, yet the supply at
he present day is something stupendous.
he fecundity Of this fish is wonderful. By
hose who have taken the trouble to satisfy
it has been calculated that when
ne devours a Gods roe he also devours no
,ss than about 1so,ooO,0oo pounds of food,
it were allowed to arrive at matur-
5y. Ones brain reels at the bare idea of
what might be the condition Of
oddom If these fishes were left alone for a
sw years. There are more than 1000 vessels,
nth tonnage Of over 100000 tons, and en-
Toying upward Of 10000 men and boys, en-
aged in the bank or cod fisheries OF the
United Stat 8.
The halibut is one Of the largest fishes Of
he founder family, attaining the length of
tx or seven feet and weighing from 300 to 500
ounds. The habits Of the halibut and cod
re nearly alike, only the former live on the
litter when men do not live on them, and they
re always to be found where cod most do
ongregate. The halibut is a good eating
sh. The meat is nice and white and solid.
There is no fish more highly priced for food
han the salmon, and there is no finer salmon
han that found in the rivers OF Oregon. This
luxurious fish visits the rivers OF both CONT
ents. 1t Is caught by running wire fences
cross the streams, into which the foolish fish
lns its head and remains caught-impaled,
s it were, looking pale around the gills.'