100 DIFFERENT MODES OF FISHING THE HERRING. 



requisite size. In some cases one individual supplies the 

 whole, who, for the use of his nets and boats, gets If ths of 

 the fish — the master seaman getting ^ths, and the other 

 fourteen men getting ^th each. They pull their boats 

 so as to surround the shoal of herrings ; and when they 

 haul in about 10 fathoms, they pull upon the foot-rope, 

 and tuck the fish into the largest of the two boats which 

 always accompany each seine-net. The size of the mesh is 

 from 1 to li inch square ; from 80,000 to 100,000 her- 

 rings are sometimes taken by such a seine in one haul. 

 These nets are in general use on the coast between Dingle 

 Bay and Kenmare. The whole seine may, if necessary, 

 be separated, and converted into drift-nets by addition of 

 ropes, corks, and leads to each. 



Curragli Fishing. — The Curragh, or boat made of hoops, 

 and covered with canvas, is much employed in fishing 

 herrings in various parts of the coast, and even this pecu- 

 liar antique boat is sometimes not to be had where it 

 could be of use. 



Fishing with Horses. — Horses are employed instead of 

 boats where the latter cannot be had, but it appears that 

 the fishermen complain of this opposition. In the first 

 Eeport of the Irish Commissioners, page 11, it is stated 

 that the " fishermen complain a good deal of the prac- 

 tice which the farmers have, of shooting their nets ofi" 

 their horses instead of boats." 



Blanket and Sheet Fishing, — An equally striking and 

 unusual mode of fishing is, or has been, practised in 

 Downing Bay. Here it appears that " the poor people, 

 for want of other means, sew their blankets and sheets 

 together, often to the number of sixty, for the purpose 

 of forming an equivalent to a net, each getting a share 

 of herrings in proportion, the people having nothing to 



