446 MODERN SEA FISHING 



Between the line, which is an inch and a half in diameter, and 

 the hook is a couple of yards of strong chain. I have heard 

 that the sharks at first appear shy, the fishermen often having 

 to wait long for a bite. But as likely as not this is when the 

 fish are not present, for as soon as one is caught others follow 

 in rapid succession, giving the impression that a shoal has 

 suddenly come up and discovered the bait. The bait is held 

 quietly about two fathoms above the bottom. 



As shark oil is imported into England, and gelatine is not 

 unknown in our islands, it will almost seem as if our fishermen, 

 when harassed by shoals of large dogfish or sharks to such an 

 extent that the fishery is for the time being stopped, might set 

 to work and capture a load of these common nuisances and 

 get some satisfaction out of their livers and skins. There is 

 an instance on record of a long line being raised bearing on 

 its hooks nothing but skeletons, which the fishermen tied to 

 their rigging, and sailed into port with these strange adorn- 

 ments. Dogfish were supposed to be the culprits, but I rather 

 suspect the wormlike fish which annoy the fishermen off the 

 coast of Northumberland by entering the mouths or gills of 

 the fish on the lines and feasting on the interior, eventually 

 leaving little except the bones. 



Of small dogfish the three most commonly caught are 

 the PICKED or SPUR-DOG (Acanthias vulgaris), the NURSE- 

 HOUND (Scyllium catulus\ and the ROUGH-HOUND (Scy Ilium 

 caniculd}. 



The common dogfish can hardly be distinguished from the 

 ' Sweet William ' previously mentioned, except by his defensive 

 and offensive spines. He has several local names, such as 

 bone-dog, sea-dog, and hoe in Orkney, and skittle-dog in Corn- 

 wall, but most common are spur-dog and spiked or picked-dog, 

 these three names evidently having reference to the spines. 

 These spines inflict really dangerous wounds, so that the very 



