It has been commonly stated that these fish migrate from the North sea in immense shoals, during the summer months, and reach the Cornish coast about the middle of July, where they remain until the latter end of September, when they again depart to the arctic regions. This statement, however, cannot be correct, as the fish are never seen off the coasts of Scotland, the northern shores of Ireland, the Isle of Man, nor, in fact, off any coast north of Cornwall. It would therefore seem more probable, that they come from some part of the Western ocean, and return thither at the end of the season. Within the last ten years a considerable alteration in their usual course has taken place, much to the disappointment of the Cornish Fishermen; they have kept at a greater distance from the shores; whether this circumstance has arisen from their food being farther than usual out at sea, or from any alteration in the currents, it is impossible to ascertain. In the present year, however, they seem to have returned to Saint Ives; an immense quantity, calculated at three thousand hogsheads, having been taken at one "_catch_," by two _Seines_ in this bay. The other parts of the coast have been visited only by very small shoals. The preparations for this fishery are generally commenced about the end of July,[68] as the period at which the Pilchards are expected to pay their annual visit. As they usually make their appearance here in the evening, the boats engaged in the adventure seldom go to sea before three or four o'clock in the afternoon, and as rarely remain longer than ten. On some occasions, however, they go out again very early in the morning, and have sometimes succeeded in taking fish at sun rise. The fishermen, arranged in boats which are scattered at a little distance from each other, are directed to the shoals by persons who are stationed on the cliffs, or who sometimes follow in boats. These persons who are called "_Huers_," probably from the _hue and cry_ which they raise, discover them by the peculiar red tint[69] which the water assumes, and from other indications with which they are well acquainted.[70] The spot where the nets should be cast, or "_shot_" having been determined from the signals of the "_Huer_," the boat containing the great net or "_Stop Seine_" as it is called, and which is frequently as much as 300 fathoms in length, and 10 in depth, is gradually cast from the boat into the sea by two men, as the vessel is gently rowed round the shoal by others of the crew; a service which is performed with such dexterity that in less than four minutes the whole of this enormous net is _shot_, and the fish enclosed. Upon this occasion it is always the first care of the _Seiner_ to secure that part to which the fish were swimming; and then so to carry the net around them, that they shall be hemmed in on every side. The net immediately spreads itself, the corks on one edge rendering it buoyant,