Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-05-03
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FISHES OF THE SEA.
The Herring, Shad. Cod, Halfbut. min.

FISHES OF THE SEA.
The Herring, shad. Cod, Halibut, hin
nsh, Etc.
Thomas J. Bod dwitch, In Troy Times.
The life Of all fishes is one of perpetu
warfare. The carnage of the sea exceed
that which Is allowed to perplex on
reasons on ory land. The herring sat
isfes many stomachs "a broiled fres
herring is luxury, and 1t is an unfol
tunate fish withal. An old whaler hs
known of hogshead OF herring being /
The belly OF whale, and fifteen good
sized herrings have been found in tn
stomach of cod. Proceeding int
mathematics for moment, II we ALLOW
Goldfish only two herrings per day 70
MS existence and suppose him to feed OF
herrings for one year, we have sever
hundred and thirty herriDgs as his allow
ance for twelve months, and fifty codfisl
tqusl one fisherman in destructiy,
power. Compared with the enormouI
consumption of fish by each other, the
draughts made uron the population O.
the sea by man seems to dwindle into
insignifcance. The Soland goose car
swallow and digest six full sized herring
per day. 1t has been calculated that
in the island of St. Kilda, assuming il
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 single species OF
bird can not be less than 2l4 900, 900,
The herring was unknown to the an
clients. being rarely, il ever. found In the
Mediterranean. The Dutch are said to
have engaged in the fishery in 1l64. The
invention OF picking or sailing herring
Is ascribed to one Benkels or Benkelson,
Of Biervliet, near Sihys, who died in
1897. The Emperor Charles V. vi-ited
his grave and ordered a magnificent
tomb to- be erected to his memory. Since
this early period the Dutch have uni.
formly maintained their ascendancy in
the herring fishery. The fish is highly
appreciated by the Hollanders them.
selves, and the first barrel o. 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 drft-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 ia ruffled by a
breeEe.
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 southward 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 a single female.
Toe 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 80, 900 men, and from 5000 TO 5000
vessels--those of Great Britain about
100, 900 men and 5000 vessels. It ia
stated the fishermen OF one town, Lowe.
stoft, caught 22,000,000 in two DAYS.
This was more than could be cured
before they would spoil, and tons II
them were sold for compost Toe value
If the herring catch OF Canada In 1875
was over SO 100000. But herring, with
,ut aby apparent cause, often desert
parts OF the coast where, for time, they
iave been remarkably abundant, not
'eturning in similar numbers till after
he lapse OF number of years. Such |
GEMS to be the case on our eastern
,oasts. Until the last thirty years they
the harbors of Cape ODD in |
nyriads from March till June. Since
hat time they have been comparatively
are.
Many years ago the fishermen on the
,osst of Sussex and the opposite coast |
# France often had occasion TO exchange |
ivilities. But how could they do 80,
lot knowing the languageY They got |
'ver the difficulty by an exceedingly |
imple process. They exchanged child |
en-. A Sussex man took the son of a
to board for time In his |
amily, and let the Frenchman have his
on in return. In this accommodating
way French fisher boys learned English,
nd Engli.h fisher.boys learned French.
t was beautiful arrangement, for be-
ides any advantages derived from ling
las intercommunication, feelings OF good
will grew up between the two nations
The shad is delicious edible. II is
rival Of salmon. T fret chad In |
'ur market in the season comes from
he Savannah river, and 1t commands a
abulous price. In March the fish
aakes its appearance in the Hudson.
nd the fishermen make unusual efforts
o secure it. There are qualities in shad
g there are in almost everything else.
The best are caught in the Connecticut
liver. Hudson river shad come next,
fter which the North Carolin, shad are
he best. Savannah shad are the poor.
st, on the principle That the earliest
ruit is the poorest. Shad run from the |
II. Lawrence to Cha,leston,
The Goldfish is q sort OF national fish
{ IL known throughout the civilized |