104 



THE FISHERIES OF THE ADRIATIC, 



CHAPTER V. 



THE NETS. 



Process of making, tanning, and mounting. — Drift-nets; Trammel-nets; Circle-nets; Seine-nets; 

 Trawling-nets ; Hand-nets. — Fish-weirs and ponds. — Snares. — Basket-traps. — Store-pots, &c. 

 — Value of the fishing gear. 



LL nets and fishing gear go by the name of Arti, ox Arte 

 The fine nets are made of flax (Lino) and the coarser ones 

 of hemp (Canapin, or Grisiolo), whilst the strongest fixed 

 nets, such as the Tonnare, are made of Canapa, or Trada, 

 and are imported from Italy. Canapa is the hemp in its 

 raw state ; Trada consists of the longest, strongest, and 

 whitest fibres of hemp, collected after the process of combing 

 has taken place ; Canapin is the second quality, the fibres of which are shorter; 

 and Grisiolo is the third quality, or refuse, consisting only of short fibres. 

 The strongest twine (tregina) made for nets consists exclusively of trada, 

 three threads or strands being twisted together ; this twine is also used for 

 fishing-lines. The smaller nets are made by the fishermen themselves and 

 their wives, who also spin the hemp or flax for the purpose ; the tanning 

 process of home and machine-made nets is also done by them. Nets are 

 made at Grado, Isola, Loyrana, Rovigno, Spalato, and Ragusa, or imported 

 from Venice, Chioggia, Ancona, and more especially from Apulia. 



The tanning process (intcnzer la re) is effected by a solution of the bark 

 of the Finns maritinia (scorza de pin mazend), which is ground fine and 

 boiled in sea-water ; the solution is either repeatedly poured over the net, or 

 the net is boiled in it and then dried in the sun. The finer nets are tanned 

 either with the branches and leaves of the Pistacia lentiscus, the leaves 

 of the Shumac (Rhus cotinus), the myrtle (Myrlus italicd), and the Erica 



