286 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



times procured. The small size of the valuable young Turbot 

 so often captured has frequently been noticed, especially as they 

 are only utilised as bait for Crabs. Such ought to be liberated 

 as soon as the "trap" is exposed at low water. To save 

 trouble, the stakes to which the poles of the leader are fixed are 

 left permanently in the sand, and are usually favourite sites for 

 the borings of Limnoria. 



The bag-nets are similar in structure, only they are anchored 

 off the rocky shores all round Great Britain and Ireland, and 

 also have an inner and an outer chamber distended by poles, 

 and a trap to which the leader guides the Salmon. These nets 

 appear to be most successful in August, and, in addition to 

 capturing Salmon, their ropes and floats afford a favourite site 

 for the fixation of the planulse of Obelia, the larvae of Balani, 

 and myriads of the young of the Mussel after their pelagic 

 stage. The fishermen row from the shore at intervals, release 

 the outermost stake, and then hauling the net (trap) up to the side 

 of the cable " a lacing at the side of the inner court is opened, 

 and the fish allowed to slide into the boat." * It is said that 

 few other fishes than Salmon are captured in these nets, but 

 this needs qualification, for from early times the fishermen on 

 the north-eastern coasts of Scotland fed their Pigs on the 

 swarms of Lump- Suckers thus secured, and the same is found 

 at St. Andrews, where many an interesting fish such as 

 Mackerel, Rock-Herring, Horse-Mackerel, Conger, Sea-Perch, 

 Frog-Fishes, Skate, Piked Dog-Fishes, Sharks, Mullet, besides 

 Guillemots, young and old Porpoises, and even the long bands 

 of tough mucus holding the eggs of the Frog-Fish have been 

 procured from these nets. 



The life of the Salmon in the sea is still more or less 

 shrouded in mystery, for it is rarely captured in the off-shore 

 waters. Yet trawlers occasionally secure fine examples in deep 

 water in their nets, and so do the inshore fishermen with their 

 trammel-nets. Reports as to the nature of the food found in 

 these examples are still desiderata. During several months' 

 observations off shore in 1884, only one fine Salmon was seen 

 leaping above the surface many miles from land. 



- Vide recent description by Mr. Calderwood, l S. F. B. Report, Salmon 

 Fisheries.' 1913. pp. 3-4. 



