326 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



to the circumstance that the Scandinavians nse much stronger lines for 

 salmon fishing than the Germans. 



Besides the above-mentioned hooks 1 alien from salmon which are 

 unknown in Finland, I have recently received from H. O. Fontell, of 

 Christinestad, a hook made of thick, flattened brass wire taken from a 

 salmon caught in the sea near Christinestad by Mr. Hasselblatt. This 

 nook is about 4 centimeters [li inches] long, of a very peculiar shape, 

 and is firmly attached to a double brass wire 40 centimeters [15f inches] 

 long and almost 1 centimeter [two-fifths of an inch] thick, which passes 

 through two holes in the hook. I do not feel positive as to whence this 

 strange hook may have come, but I suppose that it must have come 

 from the Eussian shore of the Baltic. To give a better idea of this 

 hook I have sketched it in Fig. 4. 



Dr. Rudolf Lundberg describes the hook and line fisheries for sal- 

 mon which are carried on on the southeastern coast of Skane as fol- 

 lows :* 



" Fishing with salmon lines begins in autumn after the close of the 

 herring fisheries, and is continued all through the winter whenever the 

 weather permits. These lines are constructed in such a manner as to float 

 on the surface and are fastened only at one end, the other being free, so 

 it can float with the current. The part which keeps the apparatus in its 

 place is called the 'string,' and is anchored at the bottom by means of 

 a large stone. After the stone has been sunk, about a fathom of -the 

 string is hauled up, and a glass float is fastened to the string. Eight: 

 to twelve fathoms above this another glass float is fastened, and from 

 4 to 6 feet below this the line is fastened to the string. The line is kept 

 floating near the surface by means of four wooden or cork floats. At 

 l)resent only three hooks are used (formerly five or six were used) on each 

 line, whose length is oO fathoms. The hooks, made of tinned iron wire, 

 are tolerably strong (8 centimeters [3 inches] long and almost 4 centime- 

 ters [1^ inches] across the opening), and arebaited with herring which are 

 cut just below the anal aperture, and are attached to the hook in such a 

 manner that its point passes through the eye, and sticks out at the 

 side. The salmon lines are set, one after the other, at such intervals 

 that they may not become entangled when swayed to and fro by the 

 current. The glass float before referred to keeps the string up in the 

 water and prevents its being carried about by the current. This appa- 

 ratus is set at a depth of from 20 to 30 fathoms, the farther from the 

 shore the better. As long as the water is still warm in autumn, fresh 

 bait should be put on the hooks every day. When the water gets colder, 



* The Germau method of catching salmon with lines resembles (to judge from 

 Professor Bcnecke's description) very much the Swedish method; but the Germans 

 seem to nse only one hook for every line, -while the Swedes use three. It is said that 

 the Germans nse as bait, besides herring, also roach and Cypriuus rinila; and there are 

 frequent complaints that the hooks are lost. The salmon are also frequently devoured 

 by seals, which leave euly tke kea«l. 



