BLOCH S GURNARD. ()1 



tened along a heavy rope called the ground-rope, and follows 

 considerably behind the advanced straight line of the beam, 

 forming the portion of the circle seen through the upper 

 surface of the net in the representation. This sort of net is 

 only adapted for taking those fish that live upon or very near 

 the bottom. When drawn along, the first part of the net 

 that touches the fish is the ground-rope, from the contact of 

 which the fish darts upwards ; but that part of the net hang- 

 ing from the beam is not only over, but also in advance of 

 him, while the onward draft of the net by the progress of 

 the boat brings the fish against the closed end of the tail, 

 and if he then shoots forward towards the mouth of the net, 

 he is stopped and entangled in pockets that only open back- 

 wards. As the fish in the tideway lie with their heads 

 against the stream, the fishermen trawl with the tide ; that 

 is, draw the net down the stream, carrying only so much 

 sail on their boat as Avill give the net the proper draft along 

 the ground generally at the rate of two and a half or three 

 miles an hour. When it is desirable to examine the con- 

 tents of the net, the beam is hauled up to the side of the 





