422 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



attached to each section of the line as it is let down, except the first, to which is 

 attached, instead of the stone, a wooden grapnel to fasten it to the bottom. When the 

 whole line has been let down, a stone and a buoy are tied to its end; the boat is then 

 rowed back, and the line is taken up from its beginning. For bait spoon-worms 

 (Echiurus), sardines, and squids are used. 



The whole length of the tai hand line is 160 feet, of which the leader, 100 feet in 

 length, is made-of silk-worm gut, the remaining part being of silk. At three points a 

 lead of one-tenth to-one fifth ounce is tied to hold line against the currents. When 

 the line is used, the bamboo rod on which the line is reeled when not in use is employed 

 as a fishing rod. 



For bait, shrimps covered with My sis are used, the Mysis serving as a toll bait. 



Tai hooks of different kinds are used in various parts of Japan. Those made of 

 brass are mostly used with the long line, while those of iron are generally used with 

 the hand line. They are of various shapes; some angular, others are curved; some 

 possess barbs, others have none, while in still others the end is bent laterally at an 

 angle. Some are made simply by bending a wire, while others are carefully tempered. 



The principal net used in the tai fishery is the scare-cord seine. 



This net is called " katsura-ami " by the native fishermen, from the idea that its 

 scare-cord resembles in appearance the stem of the ivy (katsura=ivy, ami = net). The 

 meshes are largest near the ends of the two wings, where they measure about 5 feet, 

 and gradually diminishing in size become at last about half an inch in the central 

 portion. The portion with smaller meshes is made of hemp, while those portions 

 which have larger meshes are made of straw. The net is divided along its middle 

 line into portions which are joined together when used. 



The scare-cord is made of hemp and is about 3,750 feet long. To it are attached, 

 at intervals of 2 feet, thin rectangular pieces of wood. Also to keep the cord in a 

 horizontal position at a proper depth, stones and barrel buoys are tied to it. 



To work the net, each end of the scare-cord is kept by a boat. The two boats, 

 keeping at a convenient distance from each other, row in conjunction, and, gathering 

 together the scattered fish, scare them on the net, which is kept spread by two other 

 boats which also gather it in after the fish have. entered. 



In addition to being extensively consumed in a fresh condition, the tai is preserved 

 in various ways, viz, with salt, by being opened and dried ; or by being boiled and 

 crushed; or again by being made into wafers. Salting is, however, the chief means 

 of preservation. Salt tai is largely made along the southern Pacific coasts of Japan, 

 more than 10,000 casks being produced every year. The price varies according to the 

 size and quality of the fish salted, but about 5 yen per 100 pounds may be taken as 

 the current wholesale price. 



Tai wafers are excellent for making soup. Neither taste nor color is affected by 

 lapse of time. Mashed tai (Japanese, tai-dembu) is excellent for making broth. It 

 has a delicate flavor which is very delicious. The price is about 50 sen a pound. 



THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



The species of mackerel sought by the Japanese is Scomber colias, which is known 

 by the name saba. 



Fishermen distinguish several kinds of "saba," such as "maru saba," "hira saba," 

 and "goma saba;" but they are probably to be regarded merely as varieties of the 

 species named above. This species is always found in or near the Kuro-Shiwo or 



