BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 253 



Aiiotber net is for catcliiug " ubu," a very liighly prized kind of rock 

 fisb of two species, the red and the green. The red varieties are the 

 more choice ones for eating raw. The green are not so fine flavored, 

 but attain a hirger size. The net for these fishes is a square of 2 or 3 

 inch mesh, which has been slightly gathered on the ropes and attached 

 at the four corners to slender strong sticks tied together at the middle 

 in such a way that they will cross each other at the middle and can be 

 closed together when wanted. When crossed they spread the net open 

 in the form of a shallow bag, a string is tied to the crossing of the 

 two sticks, and the net is then ready for operations. A decoy fish, 

 ' which may have been previously caught with the hook and line, is theu 

 drojjped, with a string attached, in a place where fish of that kind are 

 noticed or known to frequent, and gently moved back and forth ; this 

 is called " teasing the fish." Every fish of that kind which can see the 

 decoy fish is immediately attracted to see the strange actions of this 

 one, and when all have been attracted that are likely to be in the 

 vicinity the net is gently dropped at a little distance from the deco^^, 

 which is then gently drawn into the net. All the fish rush after it 

 into the net, which is then quickly pulled up, the sticks bending over, 

 which elongates the bag, also reducing the ojiening or mouth. By a 

 peculiar twitch and pull on the string the sticks can be made to swing 

 around and lie parallel, thus effectually closing the bag. No diving is 

 required for this net beyond that which is sometimes necessary to get 

 the decoy. It is also used for several other kinds of rock fish of like 

 habits, always first getting a decoy of the kind wanted. Fishermen 

 almost always carry for this kind of fishing candle-nut or cocoa-nut 

 meat, which they chew and sj)it over from time to time to smooth the 

 sea so that they can observe the bottom. 



The "opule" is taken in a similar manner in a bag-net, a fathom in 

 length, having a small oval mouth 2 or 3 feet wide. 



A large 1-inch mesh net, 8 fathoms in depth, is used in deep waters 

 for catching the Hawaiian mackerel, a small narrow fish caught only 

 at certain seasons. Cooked pumpkins are placed at the bottom of the 

 net for bait, and lowered some fathoms beneath the surface, and the 

 scent of the pumpkin diffusing through the water attracts the fish and 

 they enter the bag to feed on it. When a sufficient quantity of them 

 have entered it is rapidl}^ drawn up and emptied of fish. More jjump- 

 kin is put in, and the fishermen sail to a fresh place to drop the bag. 



Two other nets are used for two kinds of very small fish that come 

 at certain seasons in immense schools and are much used for bait. 

 Pickled and dried they are very good eating. The net is a fine-mesh 

 bag exactly like a " pua" net, but much larger. It is to be used with 

 roi)es with " ki" leaves attached, only this sort of fishing net requires 

 no diving, as it is used in deep waters. 



In another kind of decoy fishing the decoy used is a billet of hard 

 wood something like a club, rounded at the ends and one end smaller 



