AND HOW TO CATCH THEM. 87 



one. An ordinary fishing-basket will be found far 

 more convenient than either a bag or hand-basket, as 

 the former gets wet, constantly flaps against you, and 

 is inconvenient to put shrimps into, whilst the latter 

 is always in the way, requiring constant picking up, 

 and is liable to upset. The best dress for shrimping 

 I have found to consist of jacket, waistcoat, and 

 trousers of tweed the latter garment cut off just 

 below the knees ; wool shirt, long woollen stockings, 

 an old pair of shoes with any number of holes in them 

 (the more in reason the better, so long as they hold 

 together), and a wide-awake hat. Provide yourself with 

 a ball of stout twine for the repair of damages, which, 

 like the net, should be barked (see article " Lines "), 

 and a common pocket knife a good one would be 

 ruined in a few days. Never, if you can by any 

 possibility do without them, take either watch or keyg 

 with you, as salt water is by no means congenial to 

 either steel or watch-works. A small tough stick 

 about two or three feet long, with a fork at the end, 

 should be carried through the button-hole. This 

 will be found useful for stirring up and dislodging 

 such refractory shrimps or prawns as take refuge 

 between ledges and in holes into which the net will 

 not penetrate. The lowest spring tides when, as 

 fishermen say, a " great out " is made will be found 

 the best time, and the summer months the best 

 season. 



Before entering a pool net in hand, it will be well 



