THE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 501 



tide. It is so arranged that the fish shall pass over the bar and into the pocket at high water, and 

 shall be effectually prevented from escaping by its exposure as the tide falls. 



The "shore" weir is usually built very near the land, which answers as one side. It has a 

 long leader running obliquely out from the shore, which directs the fish to the entrance of the 

 bowl or pocket. 



A "channel" weir is built between two ledges or islands in such a way that all the herring 

 passing between them are obliged to enter it. 



The patent weir has recently been introduced^ into the Eastport fisheries, and is rapidly coming 

 into favor among the fishermen of that region. It is much more effective than those formerly used, 

 as the fish are readily taken during either flood or ebb tide. In shape it is similar to the ordinary 

 pound-net. It has a long leader extending from near high-water mark to a depth of 12 to 18 feet 

 at low tide, with an opening on either side of its outer end leading directly into the pocket, so that 

 the fish may enter regardless of the direction in which they are moving. 



A PROPER LOCATION FOR A WEIR. Many fishermen devote considerable attention to the 

 proper location of their weirs, aiid those poorly situated are usually unsuccessful. The best loca- 

 tion is at the extreme end of some point of land that extends well out into the water or in a 

 channel between two or more islands and ledges. It is usually desirable that the weir shall be 

 placed where the tide runs with considerable force, as the fish are known to remain most fre- 

 quently where the current is strongest, and they are often carried by it into the weir. 



Many of the weirs are built so as to fish only when the tide flows in a certain direction, and 

 are accordingly known as flood or ebb tide weirs, as the case may be. Most of them are so arranged 

 that the mouth or opening is toward the west, as the best fishing is usually in the early morning, 

 when, it is said, the herring, being attracted by the light, are moving toward the sun. 



CONSTRUCTION OP THE WEIR. The brush weir, as the name implies, is built exclusively of 

 brush and poles. After the site has been selected, posts 6 to 12 inches in diameter are driven firmly 

 into the mud at distances varying from 6 to 7 feet, to mark the outline of the weir and to hold it 

 in position. Other smaller posts 2 to 4 inches in diameter are next selected, and after the lower 

 ends have been pointed they are driven into the ground, the upper end being secured to a ribband 

 of wood extending between the larger posts near the line of low water. These small posts are 

 placed about 3 feet apart, and are carefully interwoven with fine brush placed horizontally, the 

 branches passing over the first, under the next, over the third, and so on, each alternating with 

 the next above or below it. The entire frame is woven with brush to within a distance of 3 feet 

 of the pointed end of the stake, and in this way the frame is made very strong. 



This frame of small poles and brush must be made on thfrshore, as it is to go below the surface 

 of the water. The posts are therefore secured to the ribband, and the brush carefully woven in, 

 and the completed section is taken out and placed in position between two of the larger posts, the 

 lower side being firmly embedded in the mud, so that the brush shall reach to the bottom, after 

 which the whole is carefully secured to the posts. The fishermen then return to the shore and 

 build the next section in the same manner and place it in position as before. When all of the 

 spaces have been filled the lower portion of the weir is complete. This extends from the bottom 

 to low-water mark, and is much more carefully constructed than that higher up, as it must retain 

 the fish at a time when they are most anxious to escape. 



The upper portion, or that part lying between tide-marks, is more easily constructed. For 

 this purpose small poles are placed horizontally between the larger posts, about 2 or 3 feet apart. 

 Brush is then woven vertically among them to fill up the opening. It is not necessary that the 



