214 FISH-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
way through, none. being retained excepting those that had be- 
come completely rolled up in the twine. The current also swept 
the nets afoul of the rocky bottom, which injured them still 
more, so that they were soon rendered nearly unfit for use. They 
were invariably in bad order when hauled from the water, but 
even under such unfavorable circumstances nearly a thousand 
pounds of fish were caught on one occasion. This seemed to 
indicate that nets of sufficient strength might be used to good 
advantage, at least on some of the smoother fishing grounds 
along the coast. 
These preliminary trials, therefore, having demonstrated that 
nets could be employed advantageously in the American cod 
fisheries, Professor Baird availed himself of the first chance that 
offered, for obtaining definite knowledge of the methods of net- 
ting cod in Norway, with the intention of disseminating this in- 
formation among the American cod fishermen. 
The opening of the International Fishery Exhibition at Ber- 
lin, Germany, in the spring of 1880, presented a favorable oppor- 
tunity for accomplishing this purpose. Professor Baird having 
appointed me as one of the commission to attend the exhibition 
on the staff of Professor G. Brown Goode, desired that I should 
make a careful study of the foreign methods of deep-sea fishery 
as represented at the exhibition. The method of capturing cod 
with gill-nets, as practiced by the Norwegian fishermen, was 
mentioned as a subject which should receive especial considera- 
tion. | 
In the meantime, Professor Baird‘oftered to lend ‘the “wets*oe 
any responsible fisherman who would give them a fair and 
thorough test. But the fishermen were conservative and hesi- 
tated to adopt any “new-fangled notions” for catching fish. 
This disinclination to try the new method was due chiefly to 
the fact that fishermen cannot usually afford sto spend any 
time in making experiments, especially when they feel fairly 
confident of good returns by continuiug in their old ways of 
fishing. 
Mention has been made of the introduction and trial of cod 
gill-nets by the United States Fish Commission in 1878, but no 
attempt was made by the fishermen to use them until the fall of 
