JUST HOW THE FISH ARE CAUGHT 67 



in these Arctic climates, the most rapid methods 

 must be adopted ; and in cod-catching Newfoundland 

 has eclipsed all her rivals. 



In spring, nets only are used, for the fish are in 

 shoals, feeding on the myriads of caplin, a fish the 

 size of a sardine, which are inshore then to spawn. 

 The most successful net is the cod-trap. Practically 

 it is a submerged parlour of net without a roof, but 

 with a large door, into which the cod are invited to 

 walk by a long net leading to the nearest headland 

 of rock, and ending at the centre of the door. It is 

 all kept in position by heavy anchors. The distance 

 from the rock is from a hundred to a hundred and 

 fifty yards. Cod are gregarious fish, and, like sheep, 

 follow a leader. When, therefore, one comes up 

 against the net a.s he -swims near the rocks, he turns 

 out into deeper water to circumvent it, and so leads 

 his confiding following directly into the net. Here, 

 being a platonic fish, he remains, indolently browsing 

 on the infusoria and ocean slime which collect about 

 the twiny walls of his prison. Suddenly a boat ap- 

 pears overhead, and a long telescope, with a plain 

 glass bottom the fish glass is pushed down into the 

 room, through which the trap-master is peering to see 

 how many finny prisoners there are. Now the door 

 is pulled up, and now the floor is rising rising 

 rising, being passed along under the boat, until all the 

 frightened captives are huddled together in one seeth- 

 ing mass near the surface. Now a dipper is put in, 

 and the jumping, struggling fish are heaved into the 



