GREA T BRITAIN. 291 



Mr. Dunn observes that during May and June these 

 fish appear to be in the deep waters of the English Channel ; 

 that, at this period, the mackerel nets used off Penzance 

 have a large mesh for the purpose of taking the large mac- 

 kerel, and through this pilchards can easily pass ; whereas, 

 at Mevagissey, the nets used are for the lesser-sized 

 mackerel, for which purpose a smaller mesh is necessarily 

 employed. In this the pilchards mesh or entangle them- 

 selves when full of roe, being unable to pass through. 



The fishermen returning from the east coast towards 

 Cornwall in the autumn often pass quantities of pilchards 

 in the English Channel, especially off and beyond Portland. 



Couch observed that for several years in the early part of 

 this century the larger proportion of the shoals consisted 

 of such small fish that they passed through the meshes of 

 the seines. Mr. Wilcocks also met with similar sardine- 

 sized pilchards in Guernsey. 



Means of capture. This is carried on by means of drift- 

 or driving-nets that can be employed over any depth of 

 water, and seines or scans, or circle nets, which are used near 

 the shore. Drift-net fishing for pilchards has much increased 

 of late years, and the same boats, from 8 to 16 tons, are 

 employed in it as are used for mackerel and herring. 



Seine-nets are differently worked and shot between 

 sunrise and sunset, the smallest legal ones at St. Ives 

 being 160 fathoms along the cork rope, with a depth of 

 8 fathoms at the centre or bunt, and 6 at the end of the 

 wings. Some are as long as 200 fathoms, the mesh being 

 | of an inch between knot and knot, or 1 8 to 20 to a foot ; 

 1 8 feet of netting are attached to each 1 1 feet of back rope, 

 and the same amount on each 10 feet of foot rope. A line 

 of corks goes along the upper edge, and the foot-line is 

 weighted with leads. 



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