INTRODUCTORY. 5 



wander near them, than to attract by any resemblance 

 to the form and appearance of the living and natural 

 prey. The principle of live-baiting, however, is recog- 

 nized in some localities; and we may notice the fact 

 that in the North Sea the hooks used on the longlines 

 are of snch a size as may be taken by comjDaratively 

 small fish, which, when hooked and struggling to 

 escape, become attractive baits to the larger cod. The 

 Gruernsey fishermen also have long been aware of the 

 value of a living bait, and largely use the sand-eel 

 for that purpose, as we shall hereafter have occasion to 

 notice. 



It may appear presumptuous on our part to talk ot 

 fishermen not knowing what is best for their own 

 interest, but it is unfortunately a fact that the inhabit- 

 ants of fishing villages are generally unwilling to make 

 any change from what has been the practice there. We 

 had many opportunities of observing this in the course 

 of our wanderings round the coast ; and in one dark 

 corner on the eastern shores of England it was publicly 

 stated by the fishermen that they would not think of 

 trying any other mode of fishing than such as they 

 were accustomed to, because they had been brought up 

 to work in a particular manner, and no other kind of 

 fishing had ever been attempted by their fathers. This 

 was said at a time when complaints were being made 

 by them against the trawlers from other parts of the 

 coast for catching and carrying away fish which the 

 line fishermen of the place looked upon as their exclu- 

 sive property, although of kinds which they only occa- 

 sionally caught. At the larger stations there is haj^pily 

 more disposition to adopt what appear to be improve- 

 ments in working the fisheries ; and the higher prices 

 now given for fish stimulate the fishermen to increased 



