SPRAT

one of the smallest of the herrings, five inches being the normal maximum length, It is a very delicate little fish, caught in abundance in many parts of Murope, and extensively consumed there fresh and smoked, both under its own name and under various other appellations. It upholds much of the glory of the English Wuirrepait (which see) and it is the Norwegian ‘‘anchovy’’ ‘‘Kilkies,’? exported chiefly from Baltic ports, are also sprats, cured and spiced. In I in gland the sprat’s prolific abundance socially offsets its fine eating qualities—it is a lowly fish under its own title (its participation in the comparative aristocracy of whitebait being of only recent knowledge) —but it has made its mark on the Enelish language and English customs. ‘‘Sprat weather’? is that of dark autumnal days, when sprat catching is commonly at its height, and London’s ‘‘Lord Mavor’s Day,’’ November 9, is colloquially known as ‘‘Sprat-day’’ because the sprat season is then considered officially open. The title ‘‘sprat’’ is locally applied to the young of the common herring and many other small fishes.