230 MODE OF CATCHING THE MACKEREL. 



fish avoid the nets during the day, and scarcely less so dur- 

 ing very dark nights. This latter circumstance is caused 

 by the light produced in the sea by luminous animals, which 

 then appears most conspicuous; and hence a hazy atmos- 

 phere is judged beneficial. The use of lights is employed 

 in some countries. Blocli, in speaking of the mackerel fish- 

 ery, says, that at St. Croix, on the approach of night, when 

 the sea is smooth, they prepare their torches, and hold them 

 as close to the water as possible. The fish soon show them- 

 selves, and rise above the surface, when the nets are imme- 

 diately shot, and soon taken in with abundant success. 



When the shoal of mackerel approaches the land the 

 seine comes into operation. This consists of a single net,, 

 which is about seven hundred feet in length, and seventy in 

 depth at the middle. The full size of the mesh from corner 

 to corner is two and three-quarter inches at the sides, Avhich 

 is the same dimension allowed to the drift-net ; but for 

 about two hundred feet of the hollow, the size of the mesh 

 is lessened to two and a half inches, to prevent the fish 

 from being hung in the meshes ; for if this should happen,, 

 the net would not be raised from the bottom, and fish and 

 net would be lost. Shoals of mackerel are rapid in their 

 motion, and exceedingly uncertain, as well as easily alarmed. 

 They rarely stay long at the surface, and when they sink 

 below it is doubtful in what direction the}^ may again ap- 

 pear. The whole proceedings are, therefore, full of excite- 

 ment, and great haste is employed to enclose them in the 

 circle of the seine. 



The mackerel is a favorite article of food, but its flesh 

 soon changes ; and a capture that might have proved valu- 

 able, may be rendered worthless if the fishes are not at once 

 sent to the market. A principal object of the French fishery 

 is to prepare the mackerel salted for use at home, for which 

 purpose they are immediately stored in bulk on board the 

 boats. In the west of Cornwall, also considerable numbers 



