140 MAIS'tJAL OF THE'MOLLTJSCA. ' 



The side frames are of iron, the upper beam of wood, and the lower 

 edge of the net is kept down to the ground by means of a chain, 

 which is wolded or wrapped round with old rope. The beam is 

 generally from 40 to 50 feet in length, and about 8 inches square. 

 The net is about 30 yards in dex)th, and has a couple of pockets 

 inside. The end is untied when the net is hauled on board for 

 the purpose of taking the fish out. These nets can only be 

 worked where the bottom of the sea is free from rocks. They 

 are used by boats of 35 to 60 tons, manned by crews of from four 

 to six men and two to three or four boys. In the vicinity of 

 Scarbro' they fish between the shore-reefs and the off rock, which 

 is 4 to 10 miles from land ; the bottom is sand or clay, with 4 to 15 

 fathom water on the land side, and 17 to 25 fathoms on the off 

 side." Immense quantities of Crustacea and shell-fish are taken 

 with the trawl, as well as ground-fish. 



Kettle-nets. — On the flat, sandy coast of Kent and Sussex, the 

 mackerel-fishery is pursued by setting up stakes 10 or 15 feet 

 high, at distances of 10 feet apart, in lines running outwards 

 from the shore at high-water, to low-water neap tides, where 

 they are turned in the direction of the tide. To these 

 stakes nets are attached, and leaded, which remain as long aF 

 the fish are on the coast. Cuttle-fish are frequently taken in 

 these nets. 



Deep-sea Fishery. — In North Britain an extensive ground- 

 fishery is conducted by means of long lines — often a mile in 

 length — with hooks and baits every few j^ards. These lines 

 are laid out at night near the coast, and taken up the next 

 morning. When used out at sea, the boats lay by for a few 

 hours, and then take up the lines. The carnivorous whelks 

 adhere to the baits (which have not been seized by fishes), and 

 sometimes a bushel of them are taken in this way from a single 

 line. Rhynchonella psittacea, Fanopcsa Norvegica, Velutincs, and 

 some of the scarce Fusi, have been obtained from these lines, 

 ^he bivalves having been entangled accidentally by the hooks. 



For trapping whelks on rocky ground a net may be made such 

 as is used for crabs and lobsters, by attaching a loose bag to an 

 iron ring of a yard across. This is fastened to a rope by three 

 equal strings, baited with dead fish, and let down from a vessel 

 at anchor, or, still better, from a buoy. It is put down over- 

 night, and hauled up gently in the morning. 



Mr. D'Urban informs us that Natica Alderi and monilifera 

 are frequently found in the lobster-pots at Bognor, Sussex, 

 which they enter to feed upon the bait. 



Dredging. — The dredges used in the oyster and whelk' 



