122 THE FISHERIES OF THE ADRIATIC, 



four other nets are tied to as many cords, i\- 2 m. long, and disposed at the 

 point of intersection of the spars and the beams. The stone, which weighs 

 60 kilogr., is fixed to the cross-beams by what is called the gassa ; to this are 

 attached double ropes (fregand), 20 m. long, which,, in their turn, are tied to 

 the drag-ropes (alzane), 120-200 m. long. The apparatus is drawn by a 

 rowing boat at full speed over the coral beds, and is constantly raised and 

 lowered so as to suit the depth of water and only to graze the bed. By this 

 means, where coral is met with, and particularly on the projecting points 

 (seccke), the branches are broken off, and get entangled in the loose netting ; 

 but everything is left to chance, and, doubtless, much of the coral is lost. 

 For working under projections of rocks a single beam is used, to which a ring 

 is attached for hanging a net. As a great deal of netting is destroyed by the 

 constant friction with the rocks, as much as 300 to 600 lb. of hemp are 

 required each season by each apparatus. 



Rizzajo (Rizzagio, Rizzagno, Rizzer, also Gaccio, or Giacchio) has some- 

 what the form of an open umbrella, which is thrown over a swarm of fish, 

 such as grey mullet, salpa, &c. The lower part is well weighted, so that 

 it sinks rapidly, and is, at the same time, fixed by a number of strings, which 

 pass inside the net through an aperture in the centre of the top, and which 

 are held in the hand of the fisherman. When the net is thrown over the 

 fish, the lower sides are almost instantaneously drawn together at the centre 

 aperture, by which means a greater or lesser number of fish is captured. 

 Sometimes 5-10 kilogr. of fish are caught at a time. Price, 8- to fl. (see 

 Plate XXIV.). 



The Volcga, or Oprara (in Venice Vuoega, Germ., Koescker, Croat., spicrtilo), 

 is a kind of butterfly-net, for taking fish out of the seine-nets. Cerchio and 

 Cerchiello are similar nets, used for similar purposes in the lagoons. 



7. Fish-weirs and Ponds. 



These are peculiar to the Venetian lagoons, but they are also found on 

 the coast near Grado and Capo d'Istria; and, although they pertain rather 

 to the Italian than to the Austrian fisheries, they deserve mention here, as 

 they form an important item in the fisheries of the northern head of the 



