38 



nothing can pass beneath. But as the mouths of the canals where 

 they construct these works are constructed in such a fashion as 

 to have only 3 to 4 feet of depth, it follows that the bundles thus 

 implanted and which are 6 to 7 feet high, project above the surface 

 (of the water) two feet at least and sometimes even 3 feet. 



" If a fish which has left the lagoon passes now into one of the 

 mouths of the Palotta canal in order to escape to the Adriatic, it will 

 be compulsorily conducted to the extremity of the acute angle where 

 the two palisades touch without being attached to one another. There 

 if it makes an effort to pass beyond, these two walls yielding slightly 

 to the pressure, will open and then spring back into position after the 

 fish has passed between, closing the issue in such manner that it 

 becomes impossible for the fish to return through it. But it would 

 be free to gain the sea did it not find itself within a second com- 

 partment of the labyrinth where it thenceforward remains a permanent 

 prisoner. On passing through the narrow opening at the angle of the 

 first barrier, it finds itself in a heart-shaped chamber (botteghino)* 

 attached at its base to the outer surface of the two first palisades in 

 such a way that the acute angle of the latter barriers projects into its 

 interior. This small chamber, whose walls, formed also of fascines of 

 reeds, are supported exteriorly with stakes in similar manner to the 

 walls of the whole labyrinth, has also a narrow slit-opening at its apex 

 which permits the prisoners to advance into the more distant 

 chambers. Beyond the small botteghino are found two other palisades 

 disposed in an angle of which the base, in the manner of those first 

 described, includes the whole width of the canal and whereof the 

 apex, directed against the tidal current, gives ingress by means of a 

 narrow opening into a second small chamber into which the fish 

 eventually pass after traversing the space bounded by the second 

 series of palisades. Arrived in this second confined space (baldresca) 

 not only are the fish unable to retrace their way but not finding any 

 opening at the further extremity, as the walls are continuous they 

 remain there captive if a mullet, a sole, a bass or a sparoid, for these 

 species are not lithe enough to traverse the small openings in the 

 barrier ; if on the contrary it be an eel, it insinuates its head or its tail 

 between the reeds and with the help of the vigorous movements of 

 which it is capable it slips through the walls of its prison leaving 

 behind it all those of its companions whose form is not adapted to 

 such muscular exercise. But this exhibition of skill and strength 

 does not help it to freedom. It falls into yet another triangular 

 space, vestibule of its definitive prison, where after wandering a 

 longer or shorter time without succeeding in traversing the wall of 

 which the thickness and strength have been specially calculated to 

 resist its endeavours, it finds only three exits similar to those through 

 which it has already passed and which are situated at the angles of the 

 triangular space where all its efforts to escape have been checkmated. 

 Finding no other passages practicable and tired of the struggle, it 



* The shape of this first small chamber [botteghino) in those fishing stations 

 which I inspected is actually diamond-shaped. The only heart-shaped chamber in 

 the labyrinths as now constructed is the baldresca where the mullet are separated 

 from the eels. 



