OCR Text |
Show 758 MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES [Dec. 2, EXOCETUS EVOLANS, Linn. The Flying Fish. Somersetshire. ENGRAULIS ENCRASICHOLUS, Linn. The Anchovy. Occasionally taken in the shrimp-nets. Those at the mouth of the Parret are said to be very superior. CLUPEA HARENGUS, Linn. The Herring; Whitebait (in part). I obtained several small examples of this fish from the stationary shrimp-nets ; but " Whitebait" is not taken to such an extent as to be an article of consequence as food. I will here refer to some investigations which I made during the last two seasons, respecting what Whitebait is. In May 1878 I commenced collecting examples, excluding other fishes as Gobies and Sticklebacks, a very few of which accidentally or fraudulently are found mixed with the true forms, restricting m y observations to what are the species known by this name in London, to the trade, and to epicures. M y collections were continued until the end of October, all the examples coming from the Thames. Mr. Charles, the Belgravian fishmonger, kindly procured me examples from the Medway during January and March this year, and subsequently I have reverted to Billingsgate for my supply. I examined 138 of these fish taken during May and June 1878, the longest of which was 2*5 inches : about 1 in 10 were Sprats, the remainder the young of the Herring. In August, out of 46 examples, from 2 to 3*5 inches in length, 24 (from 2 to 2*7 inches long) were Sprats, and 21 (from 2*8 to 3*5 inches long) were young Herrings. In October, out of 41, from 2*5 to 3*5 inches long, all were Herrings. It thus appears that both Sprats and young Herrings find their way into tbe London market as Whitebait. Out of 31 examples of winter Whitebait received from Mr. Charles, 26 varied from 2 to 4*5 inches in length, the larger ones having well developed roe, all were Sprats; the remaining 5 were young Herrings from 5 to 7*5 inches long, the largest possessing slightly developed roe. That Pennant's drawing was the Whitebait of the present time there can be but little doubt, as well as that his examples were young Herrings. It is also certain that Donovan's figure is that of a young Shad, the immature of which, if sufficiently numerous, would do as well as those of the Herring or of the Sprat; while I certainly possess the young of these last two forms which I have received as Whitebait. CLUPEA ALOSA, CUV. The Shad or Allis Shad. CLUPEA FINTA, CUV. The Twaite Shad. A good local example exists in the Weston Museum. At the commencement of June these fish were common in tbe Severn near Gloucester, while their ova was ripe. They used to ascend far above Shrewsbury, and many were captured on the fords in the river Severn; but for years none have been seen, probably owing to the weirs on that river and their being unable to ascend the fish-passes; while for the |