[9] EEL-FISHING IN THE BALTIC. 423 



Sweden it (lifters by its lougsliape and its many rings. The apparatus 

 used near Kirik may be considered as the type of those used in Blek- 

 inge and on the eastern and southern coasts of Scania. They are often 

 veryhirge; the arms especially are of considerable length (the long- 

 arm 60 to 80, and the short arm 20 to 30 feet; height of the arms to 8 

 feet). The apparatus proper is 16 to 24 feet long, with a main hoop 4 

 to 5 feet high (not semicircular), and 5 or 6 rings, at intervals of o 

 feet, decreasing in diameter towards the back part of the apparatus, but 

 never quite as small as those described above. No special " tub " of 

 wicker-work is used. On the south coast of Scauia the ai)paratus are 

 smaller than those used on the east coast of Sweden, but otherwise of 

 the same geneial construction. In the Sound smaller apparatus are 

 also used. The front ring or hoop measures about 2i~ feet, and the 

 other two 2 to li feet, respectively, in diameter. Here a so-called 

 "tub" of wicker-work is used. The apparatus propei- without tliis 

 "tub" measures about 10 feet in length. The "tub" is made of willow 

 branches, and has the same shape as those described above, in plait- 

 ing this wicker-work the longest switches are allowed to protrude and 

 are twisted together, so as to form a sort of handle at the end. This 

 handle serves to fasten the cable by means of which the " tub" is an- 

 chored. The anchor is nothing but a number of large stones resting on 

 a cross-shaped wooden foot, from which extend four branches, which 

 surround the stones, and above are joined in a sort of loop. These 

 kinds of anchors are used even for so-called " bottom-nets." 



The "hommor"* are here set in a manner dittering somewhat from 

 the one generally used, which, however, it Avould be difficult to under- 

 stand without a diagram. At the farther end of the apparatus there is 

 fastened a pole, thicker below than at the top, and furnished with a sort 

 of fork, to which are fastened three ropes with anchors, which serve to 

 keep the apparatus in position. These ropes are called after the point 

 of the compass in which the anchor is placed, e. </., the " southeast rope," 

 the " southwest rope," and the " northeast rope ; " the " tub " is held in 

 position by a separate anchor, from which, and from the handle men- 

 tioned above, a double line extends to the pole, which serves to haul in 

 the apparatus, or to change its j)Osition, or to empty the " tub." The 

 "tub" is then loosened from the apparatus proper, emptied, and again 

 fastened to it. In the Sound two arms are also used, a long one (72 to 

 96 feet long) and a short one (8 feet long). Near Helsingborg no an- 

 chors resting on a wooden frame are used, but simply stones tied with 

 ropes.t 



Where local circumstances permit, several " hommor " are generally 

 placed in a row, one behind the other, starting from the shore. The 

 more sloping the bottom the larger may be the number of "hommor," 



* These eel "hommor" seem to be the same as the apparatus called in Denmark 

 Kastcruser. (XordisJc Tidsskrift for Fiskeri, vol. ii, p. 239.) 



tA full description of the Danish eel-traps has been furnished by J. CoUiu in 

 Nordisk Tidsskrift for Fisk&ri, vol. ii, p. 374, 



