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preparation of the materials required for the construction 

 of the great fish-pounds named labyrinths by Coste, in 

 which the fish are to be collected upon their escape from 

 the valle. This work having been completed at the time 

 of my visit to the lagoon, I shall fall back in the next 

 paragraph upon Coste for a description rendered in his 

 usual vivid manner, translating freely : — 



"Every valle is transformed at this time into a combined work- 

 shop of wicker working and carpentry. All the employes are there 

 occupied, some in binding together bundles of reeds (Arundo 

 phragmites) into sections destined to form the walls of the labyrinths 

 whereinto the play of tidal water will attract the fish, the others in 

 preparing the posts which will support these permeable partitions. 



"The bundles of reeds are made up into short hurdle or screen- 

 shaped sections about 4 feet long by some 7 feet high ; by overlapping 

 these sections and by binding them tightly together they are enabled 

 to form lengths of whatever extent may be desired while by super- 

 posing them like the leaves of book they are able to make them of 

 thickness suizable for the special service they are required to fulfil. 

 Each section is strengthened on one surface with two transverse 

 parallel rows of poles (or battens) which extend from one extremity to 

 the other, and vertically with two strong posts which project beyond 

 the lower margin in such manner as to be capable of being driven 

 into the earth. 



" When they have completed a sufficient number of these sections, 

 they begin to place them in position, that is to say, they commence 

 to organize the labyrinths whose construction although very simple 

 exacts however so much precision and care that it is entrusted only to 

 the most experienced of the vallanti and sometimes even to an engi- 

 neer.* They adjust several of the reed sections end to end and thus 

 form palisades of length proportioned to the particular requirement. 



Then making two great lengths of this palisading, they plant them 

 vertically in one of the passages at the extremity of one of the tidal 

 channels leading from the Palotta Canal. The anterior extremity of 

 one of the palisades is embedded in the left bank, the corresponding 

 extremity of the other against the right bank. These two walls being 

 thus secured in front — that is to say towards the end of the channel 

 where it enters the lagoon — the posterior extremities — those directed 

 towards the sea — are brought together in the centre of the channel in 

 such a way as to press against one another but lightly. In this way 

 two palisades thus disposed form a V-shaped angle whereof the 

 opening looks towards the lagoon while the vertex is directed towards 

 the (tidal) current which comes from the Adriatic. 



" Matters being in this state and without changing the disposition 

 which I have just described, the work people drive into the soil the 

 posts with which the palisades are armed until the lower edges of 

 these partitions are pressed sufficiently deeply into the mud that 



* For some years past the Administration have employed a highly skilled 

 engineer upon their permanent staff. 



