AND HOW TO CATCH THEM. 45 



brought on board like that of the Keer drag, the 

 string unfastened, and the contents suffered to run 

 out, when the sticks and other substances are re- 

 moved, and the net reset. 



The Basse. 



FAM., Perddce. 



Although the name of sea dace has been at times 

 given it, the basse is a sea perch, resembling in many 

 of its habits the perch of our fresh-water rivers and 

 lakes. It is at times an exceedingly greedy feeder, 

 taking small fish or spinning bait very freely. These 

 fish, like the grey mullet, are fond of creeks and 

 estuaries leading to large rivers, and are particularly 

 fond of frequenting the positions occupied by old 

 hulks which have been long moored in one place, 

 feeding on the mussels and marine insects which are 

 to be found adhering to the weed which collects round 

 old timber. They are far more on the alert for food 

 late in the evening or at night, than during the day, 

 when the largest are generally taken. The neighbour- 

 hood of landing places, where pilchards or other fish 

 are cleaned, will be found often visited by basse in 

 considerable numbers, attracted by the small pieces 

 of fish offal floated off by the tide, at which times a 

 piece of pilchard or pilchard gut is a pretty sure 

 bait. Great numbers are taken with bolters (vide 

 " Bolter "), baited with pilchard, cuttle, sand launce, or 



