132 PEARLS AND PEARLING 



where the conditions are especially favorable for the use 

 of the dip net. 



Through the courtesy of Mr. Henry Gatlin two views 

 were supplied. One of these is the good view of the dip 

 net shown in Fig. 32. 



The dip net consists of a steel hoop which is flat below 

 and with a rather round top. The lower part of the hoop 

 is bent slightly downward, and a number of pointed steel 

 teeth are riveted to it. The bridle rope is fastened to the 

 dip net by some iron rings on the sides of the hoop. The 

 teeth of this dip net are six inches long. The hoop is 

 twenty-four inches wide and the net is about one yard 

 long, and is made of number 96 marlin. The size of the 

 meshes in the net are two inches to comply with the fish 

 laws of the State of Illinois. The steel frame of the 

 dip net is bolted to a strong wooden pole, eighteen feet 

 long. The dip nets are of various sizes. The sizes de- 

 pend upon the size of the engine in the boat, which is 

 to pull the dip net. There is no set rule as to the sizes. 

 Some of the boats have three and one-half or four horse- 

 power engines in them and pull small dip nets, but most 

 of the boats have engines of more than seven horse- 

 power, and even that much power is considered 3mall 

 for the work. Many of the engines are ten and twelve, 

 while some have eighteen or twenty horsepower motors 

 in them. The larger are much better as they can- draw a 

 larger load and go faster and collect more shells. An- 

 other advantage of speed is that the mussels roll into 

 the back part of the net, thus making the appliance work 

 more perfectly. 



