574 FISHING NETS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE OTTER-TRAWL. 



vary inversely as regards the square. The mesh of the top-wings is 

 usually the same as that of the square, viz. 3 in., but sometimes it 

 is only 2i in. 



Measuring along the side, the top-wing and the square taken together 

 are 65 to 70 feet in length, and this consequently is the length of each 

 " bottom-wing." * These form the lower portions of the trawl-mouth. 

 In front, they are fixed to the ground-rope ; at the sides, to the square 

 and top-wings ; and behind, to the head of the belly. In shape, they 

 are long, comparatively narrow strips, which are about twice as broad 

 (or deep) at the lower or hind end as they are at the upper or forward 

 end. Where they join on to the head of the belly they measure 50 to 

 55 meshes across ; at the forward end next the boards they are from 

 25 to 40 meshes. Some men prefer a deep lower wing with 40 meshes 

 in front ; others like it narrower. The size of mesh is again 3 in. from 

 knot to knot. 



When we come to the " bag " of the net we find that the upper and 

 lower portions are exactly alike, so that as they come ready-made from 

 the makers, it is impossible to distinguish them ; and one may be used 

 for the other. Formerly, ten more meshes were allowed in the head 

 of the top portion than in the lower, as is always the case in the beam- 

 trawls ; but nowadays the nets are shaped and fixed differently, and the 

 ten meshes are unnecessary. The upper and lower portions are thus 

 alike, and each is divisible into two. The first part, where the number 

 and size of the meshes are being reduced, is called the " batings " when 

 above, " belly and batings " below ; and the second part, which is the 

 end of the net, is the " cod-end " or " cod." 



The " batings " start with 200 meshes across where they join on 

 to the foot of the square and work down to 60. The size of the mesh 

 to begin with is 3 in. from knot to knot, and this is reduced to 1| in. 

 The distance between the 200 mesh and the head of the 60 is 34 to 36 

 feet measured along the side ; and the " cod-end," which is uniformly 

 of 60 meshes across, is 12 to 18 feet long. The length of the "bag" is 

 thus from 46 to 50 feet. 



In the " batings " the reduction of the size of the mesh and of the 

 number of meshes across is made as gradual as possible. For the 

 first 8 feet the mesh is still 3 in. from knot to knot, but "batings"! 



* This is the length of the bottom-wing when fixed to the square and top-wing. In 

 reality, it is some 4 to 6 feet longer. See p. 578. 



t A "bating," i.e. reduction, is where two meshes of the preceding row are taken 

 into one mesh. A "creasing" is where an extra mesh is inserted. "Braiding" is the 

 process of making a net. To braid one "round" is to go once across the net. This 

 closes the half-meshes of the preceding "round." Therefore two rounds are required 

 to make one "row" of meshes. The "batings" and "creasings" constitute the puzzle 

 and the artfulness of the net. 



