66 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2 | 
smaller one is intended for use with a sail-boat, especially if it has to be 
hauled in by hand. They differ only in size. An intermediate size has 
also been used to some extent. The rectangular frame has the side- 
pieces considerably flaring and moderately sharp. The net is of the 
stoutest twine procurable, with 4 inch meshes, except toward the end, 
where the meshes are smaller. In many cases we have used the cyl- 
indrical form of net, the open lower end to be tied up when used. We 
have found the latter form most convenient for the large dredge. The 
net is protected by a bag of stout canvas, open at bottom, surrounding 
the net and extending somewhat beyond it. Whenever it has been found 
necessary to use any means to prevent the net from turning or twisting, 
a stout wooden stick lashed across the end of the net and canvas bag has 
proved sufficient. Tor weights, both for dredges and trawls, we haye 
recently used a set made in 1877, of cast iron, each weighing about 40 
pounds. They have,the form of a cylinder flattened on one side and at 
each end, and with a hole in each end for lashings. The number needed 
will depend upon the strength of tide, drift of vessel, depth, &c., to be 
ascertained only by practice. 
The following are the dimensions of the dredges now in use: 
Larger | Smaller 
size. size. 
encthyvofmiramecoutsile sce. sees ee see soe eee ee ee ee ee oe 24 18.5 
Breadth of frame; across trontece . each see eke ee ee ee poteceeesisse 8.75 8 
Bread thiol firamexacross bac lee see eee ee Pe eee en eee ee 7. 50 7 
Length, arms 6205 nso hes i serosa, ee ee Re PRT TED BOR DAN SRL al 18 15 
PAMELCTIOL AIS 52 becra Soe ries eee eee et eee ne eo ene en eee 0. 75 0. 50 
Diamieteriot ondipicceswoLt ramos. eeceee cee te ce eee eee eee een ee 0.75 0. 60 
Thickness of side pieces, at back 5 0. 50 0. 50 
Wadthvof side’piecest ita: 0. s oes eee 2. 50 2 
Sizo of holes for fastening net 0. 36 0. 36 
Depthvor Me tenses nae ee eee ae renee Heeeee cece 36 27 
The dredges and other iron instruments are painted with asphalt 
black, or, still better, coated (“galvanized”) with zine, to prevent rusting. 
One arm of the dredge is attached to the drag-rope (@) by a smaller repe 
(e), to diminish the danger of losing the dredge on rocky bottoms. 
THE BEAM-TRAWL. 
Figure 2. 
The beam-trawls used by the Fish Commission have varied in size 
and somewhat in construction. Some have been made with a wooden 
beam, others have had a piece of large iron gas-pipe for a beam. The 
sizes most used have the beam 11, 15, and 18 feet in length, respectively. 
The wooden beam appears to be preferable to iron, and may be of ash 
or any other strong wood. The principal improvements made upon the 
original English pattern by us consist in making the runners considerably 
wider and higher, so as to admit larger specimens under the beam, and 
and in making the “pockets” by putting in a separate piece of netting, 
instead of fastening the upper and lower sides together directly. 
