The herring lays its eggs on the rocks at the bottom of the sea. The eggs are then called "spawn. " In a few weeks a little herring comes out of each egg. Many other fishes eat the spawn, or the sea would soon be full ofherrings.
鯡魚在海底的礁石上產卵, 產的卵叫“卵塊”。過了幾個星期, 每個卵里面就會鉆出一條小鯡魚。還有很多其他的魚會把卵塊吃掉, 不然, 海里很快就到處是鯡魚了。
Have you ever thought how wet the fishes must feel in the sea? Perhaps you do not know that the water does not wet them at all; for their bodies are covered with a sort of slimy oil, which comes out from between the scales. This oil makes the fish very slippery, so that it is better able to swim quickly through the water.
小朋友, 你想過沒有, 魚在海水里感覺會多么濕啊? 大概你不知道, 海水一點也不會把魚的身體弄濕!因為魚的身體蓋著一種非常滑的油, 這種油是鱗片中間分泌出來的, 讓魚的身體特別滑溜, 這樣, 魚就可以在水里飛快地游動。
Herrings are caught in long nets, called drift-nets. Great numbers of these fish are caught every year for food. So many herrings are caught that they cannot all be eaten while they are fresh. Many of them are put into salt to keep them good. These are called "salt herrings.
鯡魚是用一種長長的網捕撈上來的, 這種網叫做“漂網”。每年人們都要捕撈很多鯡魚作為食物, 而且鮮魚捕撈得非常多, 吃不完, 很多都用鹽腌了起來, 這樣方便保存。這些魚就叫“咸魚”。
Some of the herrings are hung up to dry in houses where a wood fire is kept burning. The smoke of the wood turns them brown and gives them a strong taste. These are called "bloaters" and "red herrings. "
有些鯡魚, 掛到生著柴火的屋子里晾干。柴火的煙把魚熏成了棕色, 吃起來有一種很強烈的味道。這些魚就叫“熏魚”或者“紅鯡魚”。
When you go home, do not forget to tell your father and your mother all that you have read about the herring.
小朋友, 你回家的時候, 別忘了告訴爸爸媽媽, 今天你學到的鯡魚的知識。