ABOUT LOBSTERS 



51 



The Cornish Pot is used on the English coast from 

 Hampshire around the south and west coasts to Cum- 

 berland. They vary considerably from area to area in 

 their dimensions, and in the size of the eye. The di- 

 mensions given above refer to the type of pot used in 

 North Cornwall. 5 



The French pot. This is a barrel-shaped pot (Figure 

 10) constructed of chestnut wood, and is used by many 

 French fishermen, especially for the capture of the spiny 

 lobster. Again, the local abundance and cheapness of the 

 material is the principal deciding factor; also the spiny lob- 

 ster, like the crab, is held to be very destructive to twine. 



Fig. 10. The French pot 



Unlike other traps, the French pot rests on a rounded 

 surface. It is barrel-shaped and weighted to lie on its side. 

 This, it is claimed, lessens the risk of the trap becoming fast 

 between rocks, particularly in areas of ground swell; thus 

 relatively few are lost. 



The Dutch pot. It has been stated that lobsters and 

 crabs are repelled by metal. Nevertheless, the Dutch fisher- 



5 H. J. Thomas, Ibid. 



