300 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



from our coasts. In the Moray Firth and elsewhere shoals 

 are frequently discovered by seeing flocks of gulls and other 

 sea-birds hovering above them. 



Means of capture. These fish are mostly captured during 

 the winter months, whether in Scotland or in England. In 

 1880 this fishery commenced in the Beauly Firth on 

 October I2th; but in the south-west of Ireland it is 

 earlier, and in Donegal Bay continues from August until 

 nearly the end of December. When fished for in the sea 

 they are generally taken from close inshore to about three 

 miles out. 



Sprats are generally taken by means of a large bag-net, 

 made with small meshes, and termed a stow-net, the use of 

 which was formerly forbidden between November loth and 

 February loth, but which is now the principal time it is 

 carried on ; while ground seines were legal between 

 November ist and April ist. The stow-net is placed in 

 a tideway, its mouth towards the tide. In Scotland the 

 seine-net is used for taking these fishes, while off Ramsgate 

 drift-nets are also employed for sprat fishing. 



In Ireland the sprat fishing is carried on during the 

 autumn months, and Mr. Sinclair, writing from Donegal 

 (Field, November 5th, 1881), observes that the sprat 

 fishing is now over. 



One method adverted to by Mr. Yescombe, in Land and 

 Water (November 26th, 1881), is to choose the vicinity of 

 an old wooden pier, or some such structure, round the 

 supports of which small shoals of sprats frequent. Secure 

 your boat to the end of one of these piles on a fine day. 

 Use a net attached to a thin iron hoop about 3 yards in 

 circumference, and which is suspended by three cords fixed 

 to it at about 3 feet apart. About a foot above the ring of 

 the net these cords are tied together, and attached to a 



