228 THE SEINE. 



the purpose required, and are extensively used for Salmon, 

 Mackerel, Pilchards, Gar-fish (otherwise Long-Noses), Smelts, 

 Atherine, Mullet, Flat-fish, Herrings, Sprats, &c. 



The ' seine ' may be considered the most ancient descrip- 

 tion of net known, and the method of enclosing a space by 

 shooting it in a semicircle, and then drawing it towards 

 shore, seems naturally to suggest itself first to the mind of the 

 fisherman. 



In the miraculous draught of fishes on the lake of Gen- 

 nesaret the words are, 'they enclosed a great multitude of 

 fishes,' clearly evidencing the manner of using to be precisely 

 similar to our own practice at the present day, and that the net 

 in question was a 'seine' or draught-net. (Luke v. i-n.) 



Other instances from the Old Testament mention drag or 

 draught-nets or, in other words, ' seines ' from which, and 

 various relics of antiquity, we may conclude it to be the source 

 from which all other nets have sprung. 



The seine consists of three divisions : the bunt, or centre, 

 and the arms or two sides. 



The bunt is much deeper than the arms, in order that it 

 may form a considerable bag to receive the fish ; and to render 

 it still more capacious, the net, or calico, or canvas, or what- 

 ever material may be used to form the bunt or bag (for the 

 terms are synonymous), is gathered in setting it on to the 

 rope ; and at each end of the net a pole or spar is attached, 

 weighted with sheet lead at the larger end, which keeps these 

 pole-staves (as they are termed) in a perpendicular position, 

 thereby causing them to spread the net to the best advantage. 



The Sand-Eel Seine (fig. 70). The Sand-Eel or Launce, as 

 elsewhere observed, is very numerous in the sandy bays and 

 harbours of the French and British coasts, and being not only 

 delicate eating, but without doubt also the best bait for sea- 

 fish generally when used alive, a description of the seine for its 

 capture will probably not be unwelcome to my readers. It 

 should not be less than 20 fathoms or 40 yards long, the part 

 marked in Italic capitals, B, U, N, T, forming the bag or bunt, 

 consisting of unbleached calico 20 feet in length and 12 in 

 depth, and the 20 feet length, when attached to the rope, must 



