THE STRAND-NET. 243 



protect the stitches, through holes punched at intervals of two 

 inches. 



The iron should be of a spoon-like shape, eighteen inches 

 long, by fourteen wide, and the form of the material itself should 



be elliptical, as this will admit of deeper 

 grooves on each side than any other, and 

 will offer very little resistance in passing 

 through the water. 



A piece of round bar-iron, five-eighths 

 of an inch thick, beaten a little to render 

 it somewhat elliptical, will be stout enough 

 for the purpose, which must be drawn 



down at the larger end into a six-inch FIG. 74. 



. , i f . -. . , The Pool Shrimp Net. 



spill, and securely fastened into an ashen 



staff, nine feet long, and one inch and three-quarters in diameter 



at the bottom, tapering to an inch and a quarter at the top. 



If a staff slightly curved can be procured, it will turn much 

 more easily in the water when sweeping around the pool. 



An iron ferrule an inch and a half in width must be provided 

 for the end of the staff, which, as well as the ring, is better 

 galvanised to avoid rust. 



The best twine is the Shrewsbury No. 18, and the top row 

 should be double, having a leather thong or stout piece of bell- 

 wire run through ; this is to be drawn tightly into the groove 

 below by a lacing of finer wire or strong string passed first down 

 and then up each hole in succession, until the circuit of the iron 

 is made. 



The net is useful in rock pools for Prawns, and also in the 

 small sand pools, commonly formed at the foot of rocks, some- 

 times scattered over sandy beaches. 



All nooks and corners must be carefully searched, and the 

 same spot tried over more than once. 



The Strand-Net (fig. 75, folding for portability). This is 

 a very useful net on a flat strand or in large shallow pools on 

 sandy beaches, where it is pushed before the shrimper wading. 



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