GREA T BRIT A JN. 1 1 1 



Means of capture. Nets of about 30 yards long and 1 8 

 feet deep, made of fine twine and having a small mesh. 

 One end is held by a person on shore, while another in a 

 boat has the other end. The net is thus dragged at the 

 surface of the water parallel with the shore, or encircling a 

 portion of a bay or of the shore. At Portsmouth Yarrell 

 describes another mode of capture. A concave circular net 

 is suspended from an iron ring of 4 feet in diameter, kept 

 orizontal by a three-slip bridle. The net is lowered 

 :eadily in 8 feet of water among the timber floating on 

 e side of the harbour nearest the dockyard. Pounded 

 bs sprinkled over the net is the attraction ; and the net 

 occasionally raised to the surface. A nearly similar plan 

 employed, according to Buckland, at Lymington in 

 ampshire, where a man dips a circular net suspended from 

 pole into the water ; he then baits it, and finally raises it 

 using the side of the boat as the lever for the pole. 

 They readily take a bait when assembled at the end of 

 piers. 



Bait. Ogilby states that at Portrush it is only caught by 

 fishing with a small hook, baited with a piece of the flesh 

 of the Galeus canis, that of every other dog-fish being 

 refused. In Cornwall it is found to take a bait readily ; in 

 fact, along the south coast it is captured by anglers from 

 projecting points in several localities, and observed to be so 

 taken even when heaviest with roe. 

 Breeding. July. 



Uses. A good bait, especially for haddocks. 

 As food. Some have deemed it a well-flavoured fish, 

 but rather dry and inferior to the true smelt, and best when 

 in full roe. Others consider it worthless as food, and full 

 of bones. 





