CASTING NET. 5 



The experienced artist first adjusts his net, and 

 takes especial care that, in drawing it towards 

 him on the ground, the leads are not entangled ; 

 that it approaches him perfectly level, the leads 

 being in their proper places like the teeth of the 

 daisy rake. He gathers the line in ringlets, not 

 too large, till he comes to the net, which he 

 gathers in folds (as rings would be liable to en- 

 tangle and spoil his throw); according to his 

 height he gathers his net long or short, in his 

 left hand (as a general rule, till he comes to 

 about two feet and a half of the bottom), being 

 very careful that his net lies level ; he then with 

 his right hand (the line being fastened by a noose 

 on the wrist of his left, with which he grasps the 

 net) takes a very small quantity of the net on 

 the right side, and gracefully places it on the tip 

 end of his left elbow, which he elevates to a level 

 nearly with his forehead, to prevent the net slip- 

 ping off or the water dripping on his shoes ; he 

 then begins to gather the net with his right hand 

 (now at liberty), and commences at the lead line 

 on the right close to the other hand (which is 

 grasping the net) placing his little finger on the 

 lead line, and then gathering with the other three 

 fingers and his thumb, till he has rather more 

 than half the remainder of the net in that hand ; 



