270 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



of the rivers. The fish, in their movements, strike against the leader, 

 are led unconsciously to this net and trapped, from which they cannot 

 escape.- 



All these various forms of heart-pounds are so arranged as to take 

 fish from either side, whether with the ebb or the flood, although it is 

 perhaps more common for the fish to run along the shores in the ebb of 

 the tide rather than the flood. 



As we pass to the north of Cape Cod a different form of fixed appa- 

 ratus comes into use, these generally the weir proper, which is commonly 

 constructed of brush, and usually takes the fish at low tide, either leav- 

 ing them inclosed in a small basin, from which they are seined, or caus- 

 ing them to be stranded on the bottom, where they are picked up. 



The simplest form of a brush-weir consists of a mere fence of brush 

 driven into the sand or mud, to prevent its floating away, and forming a 

 curve concave to the ebb of the tide. As the water runs off, becoming 

 more and more shallow, the fish which happen to be inside of the inclos- 

 ure of this brush fence are detained, and left, when the water has run 

 off, to be captured a$ leisure. For this arrangement no leader is required. 



The ordinary construction of weirs for taking herring is seen in Fig. 15, 

 illustrating one now in successful use by Captain U. S. Treat of Eastport. 



Fig. 15. 



■>«**>£•■ 



-'B 1 





*VP 



"Herring "Weir, "Buy of I\rndy. 

 Capt. XT. S. Treat. 



Built ofpiling and/brush, up to low -water mark, netting of cotton twine above. 

 At low -water the fish are seined and dipped into "boats. At low water there is J.Sf t. 

 of water "between the bar and. the weir. 



Into this the fish enter at high tide, through a narrow opening, and if 

 the number of fish noticed as having come in is considerable, a gate of 

 netting, suspended over the narrow entrance, is dropped, and the escape 

 of the fish is cut off. As the tide falls the fish are gathered into the 

 basin in the weir, from which they are drawn into a narrower space by 

 means of the seine, aud either hauled out to the shore or dipped out into 

 boats by means of large dip-nets. As many as from one hundred and 

 fifty to two hundred and fifty hogsheads of herring are frequently cap- 

 tured in this way in a single tide. 



