182 



THE VERKE. 



without difficulty find a passage between the end of the arm 

 and the shore. 



Should the arm not be of sufficient length to reach the 

 land, a sort of fence, called a Ris-hage, formed of Gran- 

 ris that is, the smaller boughs of the spruce-pine is carried 

 out from the shore ; at times, indeed, these Ris-hagar alto- 

 gether supersede the use of arms. 



During the spawning season, fish pike more especially 

 frequently resort to overflowed meadows or other extended 

 shallows. As in this case it would be impossible to take 

 them in a single Ryssja, several of these contrivances are 

 united. The inner net is placed all but on dry land, whilst 

 the outer one is nearly under water, and in consequence 

 it is next to impossible for fish to find their way between 

 them. 



THE VERKE. 



The several kinds of Mjardar spoken of are chiefly 

 used in the spring of the year, when various species of fish 

 resort, for the purpose of spawning, to shoals, or streamlets 

 tributary to lakes and rivers ; and it was as well for the 



