112 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
sprats is the ‘“‘ stow-net”’ in a slightly modified form to suit 
the conditions prevailing in the adjacent channels. The net 
is built up of two kinds of netting. The front portion is ordinary 
fish trawl net of six inch mesh; the remainder is shrimp 
net, with the usual mesh employed in the district. This com- 
bined net is attached by the back and front to two strong 
hardwood beams. The beams separate when the net is lowered 
into the sea and form a rectangular opening. ‘The beams 
are provided with bridles, and these are shackled into a swivel 
from which a chain or strong rope leads to a fairly heavy 
anchor. The net is thus anchored to the bottom when in use. 
Another chain between the boat and the swivel keeps the 
boat anchored to the fishing gear. The upper beam is furnished 
with ropes at each end, by means of which the fishermen 
regulate the depth the gear is lowered to when at work. 
A rope is attached to the middle of the lower beam, passes 
through a thimble in the upper one, and thence to the boat. 
This enables the fishermen to shut the net when it has filled 
with fish, by pulling the lower beam up close to the top one. 
The lower hardwood beam in most of the “ stow-nets ”’ used 
at Morecambe is replaced by one of iron. This is usually a 
long piece of galvanised piping about three inches in diameter, 
which the men buy from the ship-breakers at the old harbour. 
It is not an uncommon occurrence to see a boat returning 
with the lower beam broken by the strain from the weight 
of the catch, when it has not been replaced by an iron one. 
A “ sweep-rope”’ is fixed to the beginning of the tail of the 
net to draw it alongside the boat. Further back, about a yard 
from the tail-end, another rope known as a “ bowler”’ is 
placed, and is used to constrict the net when the catch is 
being removed. 
When the fishermen arrive at the place where the fish 
are expected, the net anchor is dropped overboard, then 
the anchoring chain between the boat and bridles; the beams 
6¢ 
