Nether Lochaber; The Natural History, Legends, and Folk-Lore of the West Highland (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV. Herrings--Chimara Monstrosa--Cure for Ringworm--Cold Tea Leaves for inflamed and blood-shot Eyes--An old Incantation for the cure of Sore Eyes--A curious Dirk Sheath--A Tannery of Human Skins. However unproductive the herring fishing season may be quoad herrings, and this has so far been the worst of a series of bad seasons September 1870, it rarely fails to provide more or less grist for our mill in the shape of some rarity in marine life worth chronicling. A very ugly and repulsive-looking fish, extremely rare too, was sent us recently for identification. It was caught in Sallachan Bay, in our neighbourhood, having become entangled in the corner of a drift net which the fishermen were hauling into their boat in the grey morning, after a long, wearisome, and profitless night's labours. We had seen the fish before, though not often, and had therefore no hesitation in recognising it as the Chimcera monstrosa--a scientific name, by the way in which its lack of beauty is plainly enough indicated--a cartilaginous fish, two feet in length, and of somewhat elongated and hake-like form. The general colour is a dull leaden white, mottled on the under parts with small spots of rusty brown. On examining the contents of the stomach, they were found to consist of some very small herring fry, along with partly digested fragments of the adult fish, whence it may be concluded that the Chimcera's favourite prey, when they can be had, is herring; a conclusion at which we might also easily arrive from the fact that it is seldom or never met with on our shores, except when herring are more or less plentiful. At one time the Chimcera must have been a less rare fish than it is now, for it has a Gaelic name, "Buachaille-anSgadain," the Herring Herd or Herdsman. It...