(52 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
sufficient numbers the natives station themselves at the mouth and rear 
of the runway to prevent their escape, while others use the spear from 
the sides. 
When the people of these islands see a strange ship in the harbor, 
their curiosity is aroused and all work is suspended. This often 
prevented us from seeing the different native methods of fishing. 
TIKEI. 
The following day a landing was made on this island. The shore 
line and beaches here are very rough and no attempt was made to 
operate the seine. A few crabs, an eel, and a balloon-fish were cap- 
Stone Fish-trap, Apataki. 
tured with a dip net. In a small pond of brackish water about half 
a mile from our landing-place, and near a cut through which the sez 
sometimes flows, were some 25 or 30 mullet; but none could be obtained, 
as the collecting seine had been left in the boat. There were no inhab- 
itants on the island. 
ROTOAVA, FAKARAVA ISLAND. 
This is one of the most important islands in the Paumotu group. 
The Albatross remained here from October 10 until the morning of the 
14th, The evening of our arrival a trammel gill net was set near the 
