NOTES ON FISHING METHODS OF THE SOUTH SEAS. 817 
ARHNO ATOLL. 
Early in the afternoon of January 24 we entered Dodo Passage, 160 
miles from our last anchorage, steamed along the shore of the lagoon, 
and came to anchor off Terranova village. 
Hand-line fishing from the ship was not very successful, and fishing 
with traps was a complete failure. The surface light was the means of 
attracting coral-fishes, young octopus, a small eel, several species of 
small fry, a number of annelids, and various forms of crustacea. 
For several miles each side of the village the reef on the lagoon 
side is very rough and jagged, and several trials with a seine proved a 
failure. At extreme high tide it is possible to use a seine to some 
advantage, provided the fish come close inshore; otherwise nothing 
‘an be accomplished with this apparatus. In subsequent trials with a 
15-foot seine over the same ground we came across a small sandy 
spot, in a bend partially hidden by coral bowlders, where 15 mullet 
and 2 bonito were taken. On the outside reef, in the rear of the 
village, we found a mass of coral slabs, forming a sea wall all along 
the beach, protecting the cocoanut and pandanus trees from the surf. 
Just below the wall is a strip of sandy beach 25 or 30 feet wide, sud- 
denly merging into a smooth, level platform, on which we found many 
pools. The platform averages 300 feet in width, upon which the sea 
breaks heavily, sweeping over it at a depth of a foot or more, filling 
the pools and churning the water into foam. Many fish were seen 
darting in every direction. At another time we visited the reef when 
the tide was out. A heavy sea was breaking against its outer edge, 
sweeping part way up the platform. Fish were plentiful, but owing 
to the clearness of the water the seine failed to capture any, although 
a small collection was made with a dip net in the pools farther up. 
No natives were fishing at the time. We were informed that the short 
square net and rope of cocoanut leaves were employed and that hours 
were frequently spent without taking a single fish. At other times 
large numbers are captured in a few trials. Much depends on the 
state of the tide and the force and direction of the wind. Under these 
circumstances we were not surprised at the smallness of our catch. 
Late in the afternoon of the same day we landed on an island in the 
lagoon, about three-fourths of a mile from the ship and about the 
same distance from the main shore. At the time of our arrival a heavy 
‘ain squall came up, which lasted until dark, preventing us from test- 
ing the ground with a seine. Earlier in the day a party anchored in 
the dinghy off the island close to the shore, among a lot of coral heads, 
two natives selecting the piaces for fishing. In trials lasting about 
three hours 7 fish were caught, among which were 4 species. The only 
bait which they could be induced to take was hermit crabs, 
F. C, 1901—52 
