4 
412 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [18] 
alive for some time before marketing them. In many localities where ' 
the bottom is level or slopes very gradually, two, three, or even four, 
pounds are placed in line, one outside of the other, in order to inter- 
cept any fish that may be swimming beyond the reach of the first one. 
The fish, striking the leader in their migrations along the shore, at once 
attempt to swim around it by going into deeper water, and are naturally 
led through the hearts into the pound, their habit of moving in curves 
rather than by angular turns making their escape quite difficult. If, 
however, the pound becomes well filled with fish and they are allowed to ’ 
remain in it for a considerable time, some of them succeed in finding the 
opening A B and others soon follow them into the inner heart, from 
which they find less diffieulty in escaping. It is known that many fish 
pass out in this way, for large quantities are sometimes seen in the pound 
before the hauling time arrives, which when the net is lifted a few hours 
later are found to have made their escape. Another proof that the fish 
often escape from the nets is found in the fact that nets fished twice a 
day will stock a third or a half more than those that are visited but once 
jn twenty-four hours. In properly constructed pounds, however, only a 
small percentage of the fish are successful in reaching the outer waters, 
for even though they may pass out of the bowl, they are apt to be led 
into it again before they succeed in running the gauntlet of both hearts. 
The pound, as described, costs about $1,000, if we include the second 
set of netting, which must be used when the first is taken out to be dried 
and repaired. In the warm waters of this region the netting cannot 
remain down more than two or three weeks without being seriously 
injured. Three or four men are required for fishing a pound-net, though 
by adding one or two to the force several nets are frequently tended by 
the same gang.* 
The average stock for marketable fish during the season for this 
yocality is about $4,200 to the net; the marine species, named in order 
*The nets are usually fished at slackwater, as at this time they are more easily 
lifted. As the hour of low-water approaches, a boat with a crew of three or four men 
j8 rowed out from the shore to the pole P. A man at once unfastens the line that 
holds the bottom of the pound to its base; after which the boat is pulled to the poles 
G, Q, R, F, K, E, &c., in the order named, until a circuit of the pound has been made 
and the lines that hold the bottom of the net in position have been loosened. The top 
of the net at C is then lowered into the water and the boat passes over it into the 
pound, after which the netting is again raised and fastened. The boat then proceeds 
to the mouth of the pound, and two men, by means of ropes attached to the lead line 
at the bottom of the opening A B, raise this portion of the net entirely out of the 
water, placing the weighted line which forms the lower side over the gunwale of the 
boat, thus effectually cutting off all means of escape. The men then take position in 
either end of the boat and gradually raise the net toward the poles P and C, driving 
the fish around towards G and D. This work is continued until the fish have been* 
driven past Q and I, when the netting is pulled up on the opposite side of the boat and 
the fish are confined in the small basin between it and the outer side of the pound. 
The weighted line at the bottom of A B is now thrown off, and the boat is gradually 
pulled towards the outer end, the basin growing constantly smaller until the fish are 
brought into a limited. space at K, when they are at once transferred to the boat by 
