37 



and believed ; but it is now unquestionably established, 

 that never was a charge more destitute of truth. 



But, even were the habits and instincts of the young 

 brood not so decisive of themselves, it would still be im- 

 possible that any injury to the fry could arise from the 

 stake-nets. The structure of a stake-net is such that it 

 cannot detain the fry. The net does not hang loose, but 

 is extended on stakes; and every mesh is open, pre- 

 senting a circuit of from ten to twelve inches, and a side 

 fully three inches in length. Now, it is evident, that 

 such an apparatus could not injure or intercept the fry, 

 even if they were within its operation. They would, on 

 the contrary, pass through it as freely as the tide. 



It is extremely worthy of notice, however, that though 

 the charge of injuring the fry, falls altogether to the ground, 

 when applied to the stake-nets, it holds good, and is highly 

 applicable with regard to the coble-nets of the fresh water. 

 These nets are to the utmost degree, destructive of the fry, 

 by intercepting them as they float along the margin of the 

 river. The meshes are small, and, from the nets hanging 

 loose, they are at all times close ; so that the fry, in their 

 progress downwards to the sea, get entangled in them 

 and cannot afterwards extricate themselves : by which 

 means, great numbers of the brood are lost. Much 

 greater numbers are destroyed by being inclosed in the 

 net itself, when it is rapidly swept along the bank, and 

 all that fall within its circuit are dragged to the shore, 

 But the loss which is occasioned by the weights attached 

 to the nets, tearing up, crushing, and bruising the yet 

 inanimate beds of spawn deposited at the bottom of the 

 river, is altogether incalculable. 



So far as respects the fry, therefore, nothing farther 

 needs be said. It is established, as clearly as evidence 



