564 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [52] 



which project from the front side of the runners. The net is 18 feet 

 long, and is made of two thicknesses of webbing, having a 1-inch square 

 mesh throughout. It has the same diameter at both ends, and to pre- 

 pare for use is gathered in at the lower end and tied. The folds of the 

 net, which are thus formed in tying, serve to close the mesh at the lower 

 end and cause a small amount of mud, sufficient for examination, to be 

 retained. A rope, measuring 2J inches in circumference, runs around 

 the mouth of the net, and is laced along the hinder ends of the runners 

 and fastened to the four hinder corners of the same. In common with 

 the net, this rope is left sufficiently slack between the runners on both 

 sides, so that on whichever side is uppermost it curves down just to the 

 level of the beams and does not obstruct the lower half of the opening; 

 the lower line naturally curves backward upon the ground. These slack 

 portions of the rope form the lead line, and are each furnished with 16 

 leads, weighing about one- third of a pound each. The pocket for the net 

 is made of the same webbing as the latter, is about 6 feet deep, and is 

 fastened to the net about 3 feet from the mouth; it is somewhat smaller 

 in diameter at the inner than at the outer end. To assist in keeping 

 the net open while in use, four hollow glass balls or cork floats are fast- 

 ened into it by means of a rope to which they are attached, and which 

 is about one-third longer than the width of the net, and is seized to it 

 on each side about 5 feet from the mouth. When the trawl is dragging 

 on the bottom, these floats give greater buoyancy to the upper side of 

 the net, and raise it above the ground. The escape of fish through the 

 runner frames and between the beams, after they have been frightened 

 by the lead-line, is prevented by means of netting, having a one-half 

 inch square mesh. This is stretched tightly from beam to beam, and is 

 fastened in the opening through the runners to a three-eighths-inch iron 

 rod, extending around the inner side of the frame and passing through 

 brass rings at intervals of 6 to 12 inches. 



In the original double trawl, as used on the steamer Blake (see Sigs- 

 bee's plates), the framework differed from that above described only in 

 its lesser height, which was 30 inches, and in lacking the iron rod within 

 the runners for the attachment of the side netting. On the second 

 dredging cruise of the Blake, instead of having the bridle tied to rings 

 in front of the runners, it passed backwards along the sides of the run- 

 ners and net to the hinder end of the latter, and was secured to the 

 runners at the front beam by lashings passed through cut splices in the 

 rope; to the runners at the rear beam by lashings taken around the 

 rope; and to the seizing at the end of the net by lashings taken through 

 thimbles which were turned into eye-splices. This form of bridle was 

 intended to bring up the trawl rear end foremost, in the event of 

 severe fouling on the bottoin, the tripping being brought about by the 

 parting of the lashings. On the same cruise another modification was 

 put to trial. It consisted in enlarging the mouth of the net, carrying 



