456 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



appear that the Patent Net has much adyantage over the other ; both capture a large 

 proportion of immature forms, and our experiments do not show much difference in 

 the size of the smallest captured. Indeed, in the case of the Kenmare River Trial, 

 the Patent Net caught the smallest, only 4J inches long. The great difficulty lies in 

 the weeds ; with a bag full of weeds any trawl will hold small fish, except, perhaps. 

 Soles. 



On the whole it may be said that on clean ground the Pateiit Trawl is likely to catch 

 less small fish than an ordinary one, and would probably be very harmless to small 

 round fish. It is open to doubt, however, whether its general efficiency as a fishing 

 implement is such as to commend it to practical fishermen, at least in its present 

 condition. On this subject Mr. Green has already published a report, suggesting 

 improvements. The net appears to represent the first practical attempt to solve the 

 difficulty of the capture of immature fish, and all credit is on this account due to the 

 inventor. During the latter part of the cruise of tbe " Fingal" Mr. Green had the 

 net remounted, and bent on to a 32 feet Beam. Though supplied to fit a 25 feet Beam, 

 it appeared more at its ease on the larger one (shortly reduced by accident to 28 feet), 

 and Mr. Green tells me that it fished better. The results may be seen in the list of 

 Stations (Appendix A) ; no opportunity occurred of testing it, in its new condition, 

 against an ordinary trawl. 



An 18 feet Beam trawl, lined with sprat mesh, was used in deep water, and on one 

 occasion in Killybegs harbour. The results are of no special interest in this connection. 



A Shrimp trawl, 8 feet Beam, was in frequent use. It captured a vast amount of 

 very small fish, including Gurnards, Wrasse, Cod, "Whiting, Pollack, Coal-fish, Silvery 

 Pout, Witch, Long Rough Dab, Scald-fish, Plaice, Common Dabs, Solanettes, and a 

 few Lemon Dabs, Pole Dabs, and Flounders, &c. Many of these were extremely small, 

 less than an inch long. Two common Soles about six inches were caught. With the 

 exception of a large Lemon Dab, a large common Dab, and a number of Thornbacks 

 of considerable size, no large fish were caught in this net. As a rule, although the 

 hauls were always short, the very small gadoids and flat fish did not survive removal 

 from the net. Young Plaice and Common Dabs, two or three inches long, appeared 

 usually not much the worse when placed in water, and young Wrasse, Bull-heads, 

 Sticklebacks, &c., and Bays were in no way injured. 



A small seine net, with a calico bunt, 1 3 yards by 2 yards, with a large bag in the 

 centre, was used on certain occasions during the cruise of the "Harlequin." The 

 wings were of herring mesh. This net was originally constructed with a view to the 

 capture of very small Herrings (for scientific purposes), in which it was very successful. 

 It was also very efficient in the capture of Sand-eels of all sizes [A. tobiamis), and 

 caught large numbers of small flat fish. Plaice and Flounder, and a certain number of 

 very small Turbot and Brill. At Smerwicka few Sand-smelts, and at Dugort a Lemon 

 Sole {S. lascaris) was caught. Unless meshed in the wings, which only happens in the 

 case of such larger flat fish as may be near the margin, fish (except very small Herrings) 

 are not in any way injured by this method of fishing. Very similar nets are, I believe, 

 in some places used for the capture of Sandeels for bait. 



The effect of capture in the trawl on fish appears to vary with the species. No 

 special records were kept on this subject, but the vitality of certain forms was a matter 

 of constant comment. Turbot were almost invariably lively and vigorous when brought 

 on board, and exhibited as a rule no injury. Brill seemed a little less hardy, but were 

 always alive. Soles appeared to be the most hardy of all, and it requii-ed violent blows 

 to disable them. Frequently several escaped while the net was being hauled. Occa- 

 sionally they were injured by being knocked against the ship's side whilst entangled 

 in the pockets. Large Plaice seemed rather subject to injury, smaller examples less 

 so. Large common Dabs were frequently dead, or nearly so, when brought on board. 



