DRIFT-NETS. 247 



pools exists among the rocks, or the rocks are flat, and long 

 canal-like channels run up towards the land, these nets can be 

 used without a boat, with a short piece of line, and a single cork 

 at the end, of the size of a large bung- cork ; these nets, being 

 sunk alongside the rocks, may be raised by aid of a forked pole 

 to catch the cork. Try on a rising tide. 



In boats, this fishing is quite near the shore, and is carried 

 on in small boats, each provided with a dozen or more nets, 

 slung by a buoy-line, which are placed a few fathoms apart, and 

 baited in turn. A few Crabs and Lobsters are sometimes 

 captured at the same time, and numbers of Velvet-Crabs, 

 which, although never eaten in England as far as I am ac- 

 quainted, are, together with the Spider- Crabs, regularly sold in 

 the markets in the Channel Islands and France. The Velvet- 

 Crabs are commonly called ' Fiddlers ' in many parts of the 

 kingdom. 



Freshwater Eels may be also taken by baiting with Herring, 

 Pilchard, or Mackerel offal, &c., in harbours, 



The quantity of Cray-fish and Lobsters to be taken in this 

 manner in South Africa and on the North American coasts is 

 very great. 



Small pots similar in form to Crab -pots are much used, 

 made of fine osiers very closely placed ; they are commonly 

 termed Shrimp-pots. It is somewhat remarkable that small 

 Prawns almost universally receive the appellation of Shrimps. 



Drift-Nets. Drift-Nets are extensively used for Mackerel, 

 Pilchards, and Herrings. They are attached to each other, 

 and are shot in a long continuous line to the length of one 

 thousand or fifteen hundred fathoms, more or less, in pro- 

 portion to the size of the boat. 



The nets are provided with corks on the head-line and 

 weights on the foot-line (commonly stones), and are very 

 frequently lowered to the depth of two or three fathoms, being 

 sustained at this depth by large buoys of cork or inflated skins 

 placed at intervals, with a small keg at the junction of the nets. 

 This is done as a precautionary measure, that vessels 

 passing over them may not hook them and carry them off on 

 their keels, and it also enables the fishermen to adjust the 



