Some Cornish Pilchard Lore

"Cornish Sardines" Pilchards, Newlyn, 2004  - Richard Greenwood [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"The pilchards are the especial treasure of the Cornish fishermen; and when tidings come of vast shoals of "the silvery fish having passed the Land's End like a marine army, led by its chief, King Pilchard," the men of the coast are eager to meet them. Immense quantities are taken, and bring comfort to many a seaside home. There are even superstitions attached to these piscatory guests. If, when they are packed side by side after salting, a loud noise is heard - the breaking of the air-bladders in the fish - it is a good omen; they are thought to be calling to more pilchards to follow them. It is also considered unlucky to eat a pilchard from the head; it should be eaten from the tail, say the fisher folk of Mousehole and Newlyn."

Valentine (undated)

Map - Land's End

Map - Mousehole

Map - Newlyn