The Confessions of a 'Poacher. 99 



our large nets was a serious matter, not only in 

 time but money. For narrow streams, a narrow 

 net is used, this being attached to two poles. 

 It is better to cut the poles (of ash) only when 

 required, as they are awkward objects to carry. 

 The method of working the " pod-net" is the 

 same in principle as the last. The older fish 

 poachers rarely go in for poisoning. This is a 

 cowardly method, and kills everything, both 

 great and small, for miles down stream. 

 Chloride of lime is the agent mostly used, as 

 it does not injure the edible parts. The lime 

 is thrown into the river where fish are known 

 to lie, and its deadly influence is soon seen. 

 The fish, weakened and poisoned, float belly 

 uppermost. This at once renders them con- 

 spicuous, and they are simply lifted out of the 

 water in a landing-net. Salmon and trout 

 which come by their death in this way have the 

 usually pink parts of a dull white, with the 

 eyes and gill-covers of the same colour, and 

 covered with a fine white film. This substance 

 is much used in mills on the banks of trout- 

 streams, and probably more fish are " poached" 



