CH. l] THE EXPLORATION OF THE SEA 25 



weighted and lowered to the bottom where it reraains for some time 

 with a buoy attached to the end of the rope. 



Stake nets, trammel nets, lines and the various forms of fishing 

 weirs or baulks belong rather to the province of the practical 

 fisherman than to that of the collector. But these instruments 

 have made their contribution to the accumulations of our museums 

 and to the zoological lists, and therefore deserve some notice. The 

 stake net is a vertical wall of netting about three feet in height 

 and several hundred yards in length. It usually forms several 

 angles and at these traps may be placed. The net is supported on 

 a row of wooden stakes. It is placed in such a situation that it is 

 bared by the receding tide when it is " fished." 



The trammel net consists of three nets hanging parallel with 

 one another. In the middle there is a net of small mesh, and on 

 either side of this is a net which has meshes of larger dimensions. 

 The three nets are placed close together on the same top and 

 bottom lines. It is much higher than the stake net. The lower 

 rope being weighted by sinkers and the top one buoyed by corks, 

 the apparatus is sunk in the sea. Fishes striking against the 

 inner net force this through the wider meshes of the outer 

 ones. They are thus enmeshed, or " trammelled." 



Lines are set on the sea bottom, being secured by sinkers and 

 buoyed at intervals. Along the length of the line are the 

 " snoods," short pieces of cord to which the baited hooks are 

 attached. The " long lines " of the fishermen may be as much as 

 six or seven miles in length. 



Fishino- weirs and baulks are arrano^ements of basket or wicker 

 work, furnished with pockets or traps, and set across a tidal 

 channel or gutter. The action of these apparatus is very simple. 

 Fishes or other animals are carried against them by the tide and 

 are caught in the meshes or pockets. 



Pelagic fishing apparatus. The forms of fishing apparatus 

 which we have been considering catch animals which reside at or 

 near the sea bottom but are not adopted for the capture of those 

 which lead a pelagic life — that sw^im about at the surface or at 

 intermediate levels. It is true that the trawl may be used for the 

 capture of pelagic fishes ; thus quite recently steam trawlers have 



