562 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [50] 



The teeth of the front series are straight, sharp, and rigid and those 

 of the hinder series long, curved, and springy. The dredge line is at- 

 tached to the front handle of the rake by means of marline only, passes 

 to a ring at the hinder end of the rake, and thence to the cylinder bail? 

 being securely fastened to both of the latter places. The object of this 

 method of attaching the rope is to allow the marline at the front of the 

 rake to part in case the latter becomes caught on the bottom, and per- 

 mit of its being hauled up hind end foremost. 



This form of rake dredge was designed by Mr. James E. Benedict, of 

 the United States Fish Commission, for collecting small forms of marine 

 life, and especially worms, which live unattached upon the bottom, on 

 stones, shells, &c, and which are crushed or lost sight of in the ordinary 

 dredge. It can only be used on comparatively smooth bottoms and in 

 slight depths. The rake is intended to give the bottom materials a 

 through stirring up so as to dislodge the animals, which together 

 with the sediment formed are raised above the bottom and come into 

 contact with the nose piece of the cylinder, only those below a certain size 

 being able to pass in. The tapering shape possessed by the strainer 

 gives it a very extended free surface for the outflow of water. The 

 collar at the mouth of the cylinder being furnished with a light cloth 

 veil, acts as a trap to prevent any reverse flow of water. 



Beam Trawl, ordinary pattern for Zoological Collecting. 



United States Fish Commission. 



The beam trawls used by the United States Fish Commission are of 

 the English fisherman's pattern, more or less modified to adapt them 

 to the purposes of scientific investigation. They are made of different 

 sizes, from 7 £ to 17 feet in length of beam. The trawl exhibited is of 

 the smallest size, and is intended for use in deep water, or in shallow 

 water from a small vessel. The beam is a piece of iron gas-pipe, 7£ feet 

 long and 2| inches in diameter, and it screws into brass strap bands on 

 the tops of the runners, which measure 4 feet in length and 28 inches 

 in height. The latter are constructed of flat bar -iron, 2£ inches broad 

 by five-eighths of an inch thick, and have a large screw-eye in front for 

 the attachment of the bridle. To prevent the fish escaping through 

 the runners, the openings which they form are closed by netting hav- 

 ing a half-inch square mesh. This is fastened to an iron rod, which 

 passes around the inner side of the runners and through brass screw- 

 rings at intervals of 9 or 10 inches. The net is about 18 feet long,, 

 tapers gradually from the mouth toward the hinder end, and has a sin- 

 gle pocket which consists of a slightly tapering cylinder of netting, about 

 5 feet long, fastened to the net by the larger end about 4 feet from the 

 mouth ; the inner end of the pocket is about 3 feet in diameter. The 

 lead line is of 2|-inch rope, and carries 42 small leads or sinkers. It is 

 made very slack, and when in use trends back in the middle a distance 

 of about 6 feet behind the hinder ends of the runners, to which it is 



