LINE-FISHING. 148 



sions ; but instead of having baited books, common 

 si lore crabs are threaded on the snoods, about twenty 

 on each ; and the whelks, which are carnivorous in 

 their habits, seize and keep as firm hold, whilst devour- 

 ing them, as if they were hooked. When the line is 

 hauled up the snoods are found covered with whelks. 

 This fishing for wlielks, besides contributing so largely 

 to the capture of cod and other fish, results in the 

 diminution of one of the most inveterate enemies 

 of the oyster and mussel, and thus performs a double 

 service. 



Another mode of obtaining whelks is b}^ means of 

 baskets baited inside with pieces of fish, and having a 

 net stretched over the end with an opening in the 

 centre for the admission of the whelks. It is something 

 on the principle of the crab-pot, and is said to be efficient, 

 but it is not in very general use. 



The plan adopted by the Grrimsby whelk fishermen 

 is by shallow hoop-nets baited with refuse fish and sunk 

 to the bottom ; in these the whelks collect in large 

 numbers, and are caught without any difficulty. The 

 supply is generally well kept up, and should there be 

 any scarcity during the cod season the deficiency is 

 made up from the London market. A good many 

 whelks are also obtained by the oyster dredgers. 



Each smack takes with her as bait for the voyage 

 during the regular longline season about forty wash of 

 whelks ; the " wash " being a stamped measure capable 

 of holding twenty-one quarts and a pint of water ; but 

 in March, towards the end of the season on the Dogger, 

 not more than from fifteen to twenty-five wash are re- 

 quired. The whelks are preserved alive in bags made 

 of netting, and are kept in the well until wanted, when 

 the shells are broken and the animals extracted. The 



