162 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



lessened when the net is at work, as the manner in 

 which it is moored tends to bring the two balks together, 

 although this is guarded against as nmch as possible. 

 The first portion of the net, called the " quarters " (c) 

 from being made up of four pieces or sides, is 15 or 16 

 yards long, and each quarter tapers from fifteen score 

 meshes If inch square at the " wide," to five score meshes 

 1^ inch at the other end. The next portion is called 

 the " enter " (d) ; it is 12 or 13 yards long, with a mesh 

 a little more than half an inch square throughout, and 

 diminishes from eight score to forty-five meshes on each 

 side ; but this part of the net is frequently made in one 

 piece, and with of course four times the above number of 

 meshes all round. Next to the enter come the "sleeves" 

 {e, e), of which sometimes, when there is an abuudance 

 of fish, as many as three are used. They are each 

 generally about 10 yards long, with nine score half- 

 inch meshes all round. The last portion of the net 

 is called the " cod," " dock-hose," or " wash-hose " 

 (/), and runs to a length of five or six yards; the 

 mesh here is rather larger than in the sleeves, being 

 three-quarters of an inch square, and eight score meshes 

 go to the circumference of this part of the net. There 

 is some little variation in the proportions of the several 

 parts of the stow-net as used in different places, but 

 such as we have given above may be taken as fairly 

 representing those generally adopted. The boats em- 

 ployed in this fisliery are very commonly those used at 

 other times for deep-sea oyster dredging, and the shrimp- 

 ing boats on the Thames also take j^art in it. 



The net is moored by a double bridle, one from eacli 

 balk, the four ropes composing them, and called " liand- 

 fleets " (//), being nnited at some distance in front of 

 the net to the " string " (/?.), the other end of which is 



