88 SEA FISH; 



to cast a sharp eye into every corner of it, as the 

 largest shrimps and prawns will be often seen crawl- 

 ing or swimming about, and can then be generally 

 brought to net; but, on the slightest alarm, away they 

 shoot to their places of strength, when some little 

 management will be required to get them out again. 

 All the hanging tufts of weed should be fished, and 

 every flat overhanging rock carefully examined, as 

 shrimps and prawns almost invariably get as high and 

 near the surface as possible on being alarmed. 



The sand-raisers will have to be sought on different 

 ground: open stretches of smooth even sand are 

 favourite resorts, as are the mouths of estuaries and 

 tidal rivers. The net shown in cut No. 2 is frequently 

 used for taking them : this is pushed on before the 

 shrimper, just skimming off the surface of the sand. 

 Great varieties of curious and interesting marine 

 productions are brought to light from time to time by 

 both kinds of nets, and the aquarium may be often 

 enriched from their multifarious contents. 



Prawns are taken in considerable numbers in 

 some localities by lift-nets. A bag-net is attached 

 to an iron ring baited with fish heads or other offal, 

 weighted with a stone, and suspended by three strings 

 like those of a scale-pan, which are attached to a line 

 with a bung float at the end. These nets are either 

 lowered from a boat on ground frequented by prawns, 

 or laid down and taken up by a long forked stick. 

 Some little care is required in lifting the net, as, if 



