54 WITH HARD CHEEKS. 



of the beam, called tlie trawl-heads, Avhich assist by their 

 weight to sink the net and keep it on the ground. The 

 upper edge of the netting is attached along the whole length 

 of the beam ; the lower edge is fastened along a heavy rope 

 called the gi-ound-rope, and follows considerably behind 

 the advanced straight line of the beam, forming the por- 

 tion of the circle seen through the upper surface of the 

 net in the representation. This sort of net is only adapted 

 for taking those fish that live upon or very near the bottom. 

 When drawn along, the fii-st part of the net that touches 

 the fish is the ground-rope, from the contact of which 

 the fish darts upward ; but that part of the net hanging 

 from the beam is not only over, but also in advance of 

 him, while the onward draft of the net by the progress 

 of the boat brinijs the fish against the closed end of the 

 tail, and if he then shoots forward towards the mouth of 

 the net, he is stopped and entangled in pockets that only 

 open backwards. As the fish in the tideway lie with their 

 heads against the stream, the fishermen trawl Avith the tide ; 

 that is, draw the net down the stream, carrying only so 

 much sail on their boat as will give the net the proper 

 draft along the ground — generally at the rate of two and a 

 half or three miles an hour. When it is desirable to exa- 

 mine the contents of the net, the beam is hauled up to 

 the side of the vessel by the trawl-warp, the tail of the net 

 is handed in, untied, and the contents shaken out. The 

 produce, depending somewhat on the nature of the ground, 

 generally consists of Red Mullet, different species of Gur- 

 nards, flat fish, and Skate, with abundance of asteria, Crus- 

 tacea, and echini. The saleable fish being selected, the 

 tail of the netting is retied, and the net again lowered to the 

 ground ; and while the vessel continues its course, the refuse 

 of one haul of the net is swept overboard to make room for 



