20 THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
whole of the books and documents of this Department, as 
well as the fishing-gear referred to, and general effects, were 
irretrievably lost.* 
Amongst the implements here referred to were the fol- 
lowing :-— 
(1) A Purse-seine net, similar to those used in America 
in the capture of the Menhaden,+ and measuring 
185 fathoms in length by about 8} fathoms (when 
hung) in depth. 
(2) A Drift-net of the kind used in the Scotch herring 
fisheries. (I am informed by my friend Dr. James 
C. Cox, Commissioner of Fisheries, and who was 
then President of the New South Wales Fisheries 
Commission, that this net measured about 3 miles 
in length). 
(3) An Otter Trawl of 42 feet width of net. This was 
tried in the waters of Port Jackson at the end of 
1881. 
(4) A large Beam Trawl, similar to those in use by 
Grimsby fishermen at that time. (Later, and after 
the destruction of this net, a fac-simile of it was 
constructed at the order of Dr. Cox, and this was 
used in some experimental trawling, which was 
carried on between Botany Bay and Jervis Bay 
during 1883.) 
(5) A Set-line or Bultow (called also ‘“ trawl-line ’’), which 
was procured from America. This set-line was the 
same in size and general construction as those which 
were used on the first-class American schooners 
ehgaged in the Cod fisheries. It was constructed, 
under the direction of ce Collins of the United 
* The Linnean Society of New South Wales, which is the ae scientific 
society of Australia, was also a very heavy loser by this disastrous fire. 
+The Japanese use a net very similar to this in construction—really an 
adaptation of it—in which there are a number of metal rings along the bottom of 
the net, through which is passeda draw-rope. When a shoal of fish is surrounded 
the net is, by means of this draw-rope, converted into a large basin. 
