NOTES ON FISHING METHODS OF THE SOUTH SEAS. (gy! 
although there was some hand-line fishing off the outside reef. Fish 
from the lagoon are much preferred to those from outside. A trader, 
the only white person on the island, told us that only one species 
of fish was found in the lagoon. It is said to be of fine quality and 
furnishes the natives with a large amount of their food. 
Samples of coral and shells were obtained from the beach and 2 
fish from the lagoon. 
Strung along the beach were seines drying on racks, others were in 
sheds, and piled in the corner of one shed was a lot of webbing, seine 
rope, and corks. The webbing was machine-made, of 23-inch mesh, 
stretch measure. The only canoes seen were engaged in fishing some 
little distance from our anchorage. 
The beach on the lagoon side of the island is composed of fine coral 
sand and minute shells. The water deepens gradually and as far as 
we could see the beach continued smooth. Our stay being short, we 
had no time to investigate the surroundings. No fishing was going on 
in the lagoon, but the trader informed us that a haul or two with a 
seine seldom failed to capture all the fish required. On the opposite 
side of the lagoon the sea breaks over the rim in rough weather. The 
water in the lagoon is said to be considerably saiter than the ocean, 
The natives of this island are left to themselves a greater part of 
the time. They seemed contented and prosperous. 
APATAKI ISLAND. 
A short run brought us to Apataki, where we arrived in the even- 
ing, and lay off the entrance of the pass until the next morning, when 
a party landed and remained on shore two hours. No collection of 
fishes was made. In the passage leading into the lagoon were many 
fish close to the edge of a bank of coral; they could not be taken with 
hook and line, and it was impossible to use a seine. The only thing 
we saw in the way of fishing gear was a trolling hook, made of iron, 
and attached to a long snood, which was served with canvas. The line 
was common white cotton, machine-made. 
Near the village, at the head of a small arm one-third of a mile long 
and about 600 feet wide at the mouth, was a trap made of coral rock. 
The head of the arm is cut off from the ocean by a wall of old coral 
which has been thrown up by the sea. When the sea is heavy it 
breaks over the wall and pours into the arm, and we were informed 
that at such times fish were brought in over the wall. Near this wall 
was the fish-trap, 100 feet wide at the mouth, with sides 250 feet long, 
eradually coming together near the middle and widening toward the 
rear end. Fish can enter the runway from two directions; in rough 
weather at the mouth, and in smooth from the rear. On each side of 
the runway the bank is high, and an observer can see if there be any 
fish in it. A white trader informed us that when fish have entered in 
