PILCHARD. 91 



Tuck, round the former on the inner side; and then the latter 

 is drawn together so as gradually to contract the space and 

 raise the fish to the surface. When disturbed they become 

 exceedingly agitated, and so great is the force derived from 

 their numbers and terror, that the utmost caution is necessary 

 to prevent their bursting the net or sinking it; while to hinder 

 their return back again from the tuck sean into the larger space 

 of the stop-net, men are employed at the open place in plunging 

 stones which are suspended from ropes, and drawing them back 

 again. It will be understood, from what indeed we have already 

 remarked, that in these proceedings none of the fish can become 

 entangled in the meshes of these scans; and the small size of 

 the meshes thus rendered necessary to the success of this fishery 

 was made legal for taking Herrings, Pilchards, Sprats, and 

 "Lavidnian," by an act of the third year of James the First, 

 (ch. 12.) 



When the fish thus enclosed in the bunt of the tuck-sean 

 have been brought to the surface, where they are almost dry, 

 the seaners proceed to fix themselves in pairs across the gun- 

 wales of the boats, and with flaskets to lade the fish on board; 

 while what is contained in the stop-sean, and has not been 

 gathered into the tuck, is left to a future opportunity. It is 

 one principal mark of a good master seaner that he forms a 

 correct opinion of the quantity enclosed within the stop-sean, 

 and that he is able to take from it with the tuck-sean only 

 just so much as his boats can receive, and that can be properly 

 disposed of in the cellar for that day. And in this his judgment 

 is much assisted by the extent which he perceives of the bri- 

 ming; which is the term bestowed on the light which proceeds 

 from numerous minute animals, chiefly molluscous, that abound 

 throughout the sea at this time, and have become excited to 

 produce it by the fear arising from the actions of the terrified 

 fishes. In a dark night every mesh of a scan can be distin- 

 guished to a great depth by the effulgence proceeding from 

 these creatures. 



Many are the advantages which arise from this practice of 

 taking up only a portion of the fish at separate times; for the 

 whole can be salted in a proper condition without undue fatigue 

 or expense, or injury to the fish by incipient putrefaction. The 

 scan also is preserved from being broken, and the principal 



