14 THE MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND FISHES OF ESSEX. 



ports nearest to their trawling grounds. Others, 

 again, of late years, have embarked largely on White- 

 bait fishing. This tiny fish is taken either by means 

 of a small stow-boat net or a ground-seine. The shores 

 of the estuaries of the Thames, Crouch, and Roach 

 are favourite localities for this trade, because they are 

 within easy reach of the great market of London ; for 

 Whitebait is a fish that bears carriage badly, and soon 

 loses its freshness. 



The town of Barking was, at one time, the port 

 from which the North Sea trawlers started ; but, since 

 railways have enabled fish to be sent in a fresh 

 condition from almost any port, the importance of 

 Barking as a trawling centre has materially declined. 



Harwich has always had a large number of boats 

 engaged in the North Sea fishery, and their number 

 is not decreasing. Here, in 1/12, was first invented 

 the well-boat, which, in pre-railway days, enabled 

 fish to be delivered in London in a good and some- 

 times almost in a living condition. The well-boat 

 has a portion of its bottom perforated by a large 

 number of small holes, thus letting the sea-water 

 freely into its interior. This part is called the " well," 

 and it is divided from the spaces at both ends, by 

 which the boat floats, by water-tight bulk-heads. The 

 fish, when caught, are placed in this well, where they will 

 keep alive for a long time, as the movements of the boat 



