in ichthyology, a species of Clupea.

The name herring is derived from the German beer, an army, which expresses their number, when they migrate into our seas. Herrings are found in great plenty from the highest northern latitudes as low as the northern coasts of France. They are also met with in vast shoals on the coast of America, as low as Carolina; they are found also in the sea of Kamtschatka, and possibly reach Japan; but their winter rendezvous is within the arctic circle, whither they retire after spawning, and where they are provided with plenty of insect food. For an account of the remarkable migration of herrings, and the history of the fishery, &c. see Clupea and Herring-Fishery.

They are in full roe at the end of June, and continue in perfection till the beginning of winter, when they begin to deposit their spawn.

There are different names given to preserved herrings, according to the different manners wherein they are ordered; as, 1. Sea-flicks; which are such as are caught all the fishing season, and are but once packed. A barrel of these holds six or eight hundred; eight barrels go to the ton by law; a hundred of herrings is to be a hundred and twenty; a last is ten thousand, and they commonly reckon fourteen barrels to the last.

There are others, repacked on shore, called repacked herrings; seventeen barrels of sea-flicks commonly make from twelve to fourteen of repacked herrings.

The manner of repacking them is, to take out the Herring-herrings, wash them out in their own pickle, and lay them orderly in a fresh barrel; these have no salt put to them, but are close packed, and headed up by a sworn cooper, with pickle, when the barrel is half full. The pickle is brine; so strong as that the herring will swim in it.

2. Summers, are such as the Dutch chasers or divers catch from June to the 15th of July. These are sold away in sea-flicks, to be spent presently, in regard of their fatness; because they will not endure repacking. They go one with another, full and rotten; but the repacked herrings are sorted, the full herrings by themselves.

3. The Jodden and sick herrings by themselves; the barrel whereof is to be marked distinctly.

4. Crux herrings; which are such as are caught after the 14th of September. These are cured with that kind of salt called salt upon salt, and are carefully sorted out, all full herrings, and used in the repacking.

5. Corned herrings. These serve to make red herrings, being such as are taken in the Yarmouth seas, from the end of August to the middle of October; provided they can be carried ashore within a week, more or less, after they are taken. These are never gipped, but rowed in salt, for the better preserving of them, till they can be brought on shore; and such as are kept to make red herrings are washed in great vats in fresh water before they are hung up in the herring-bangs or red-herring houses.

As for the manner of salting herrings. The nets being haled on board, the fishes are taken out, and put into the warbacks, which stand on one side of the vessels. When all the nets are thus unloaded, one fills the gippers baskets. The gippers cut their throats, take out their guts, and fling out the full herrings into one basket, and the shotten into another. One man takes the full basket when they are gipped, and carries them to the tower-back, wherein there is salt. One boy rows and stirs them about in the salt, and another takes them, thus rowed, and carries them in baskets to the packers. Four men pack the herrings into one barrel, and lay them, one by one, straight and even; and another man, when the barrel is full, takes it from the packers. It is left to stand a day, or more, open to settle, that the salt may melt and dissolve to pickle; after which it is filled up, and the barrel headed. The pickle is to be strong enough to sustain a herring; otherwise the fish decay in it. See Herring-Fishery.

It is unlawful to buy or sell herrings at sea before the fishermen come into the haven, and the cable of the ship be drawn to the land. 31 Edw. III. stat. 2. No herring shall be sold in any vessel, but where the barrel contains thirty-two gallons, and half barrel and firkin accordingly; and they must be well packed, of one time's packing and salting, and be as good at the middle as the ends, on the pain of forfeiting 3s. 4d. a barrel, &c. by stat. 22 Edw. IV. cap. 2. The vessels for herrings are to be marked with the quantity and place where packed, and packers to be appointed and sworn in all fishing-ports, &c. under the penalty of 100l. stat. 15 Car. II. cap. 16.

(Thomas), archbishop of Canterbury, was the son of the rev. Mr John Herring, rector of Walfoken in Norfolk, where he was born in 1693. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge; was afterwards chosen fellow of Corpus Christi College, and continued a tutor there upwards of seven years. Having entered into priest's orders in 1719, he was successively minister of Great Shelford, Stow cum Quy, and Trinity in Cambridge; chaplain to Dr Fleetwood, bishop of Ely; rector of Rettingdon in Essex, and of Barly in Hertfordshire; preacher to the Society of Lincoln's Inn, chaplain in ordinary to his late majesty, rector of Blechingly in Surry, and dean of Rochester. In 1737 he was consecrated bishop of Bangor, and in 1743 translated to the archiepiscopal see of York. When the late rebellion broke out in Scotland, and the king's troops were defeated by the Highlanders at Prestonpans, he distinguished himself by removing the general panic, and awakening the nation from its lethargy. He convened the nobility, gentry, and clergy of his diocese; and addressed them in a noble speech, which had such an effect upon his auditory, that a subscription ensued, to the amount of forty thousand pounds; and the example was followed by the nation in general. On the Death of Dr Potter in 1747, he was translated to the see of Canterbury; but in 1753 was seized with a violent fever, which brought him to the brink of the grave; and after languishing about four years, he died on the 13th of March 1757. He expended upwards of six thousand pounds in repairing and adorning the palaces of Croydon and Lambeth. This worthy prelate, in a most eminent degree, possessed the virtues of public life; his mind was filled with unaffected piety and benevolence, he was an excellent preacher, and a true friend to religious and civil liberty. After his death was published a volume of his sermons on public occasions.