THE YOXJNG SCIENTIST. 
83 
securely fastened to the iron and wood 
frame. 
At B B B are fastened ropes five feet in 
length. These ropes are for the purpose 
of holding the net in an upright position 
when it is drawn through the water, or to 
make the strain equal on all parts of the 
net. The ends of these ropes are brought 
together to a point to which the "warj:)" 
line is tied. 
If the pond is large where you are going 
to collect, the best way to use this net is 
to tie the end of the warp line to a stone 
or tree, and then cast the net as far out as 
the line will allow. When the net sinks, 
and the piece of wood floats, it is in an 
upright position— haul in. Another way 
is to tie a stone to the end of the warp 
line, and cast the stone over the pond to 
the opposite shore ; then setting the net in 
position in the water, proceed to the oppos- 
ite shore and pull the net across the pond. 
Small streams can be worked very ef- 
fectually with this style of net, in the fol- 
lowing w^ay : Set the net across the stream, 
in the deepest part, being careful that the 
bottom of the iron frame rests closely on 
the bed of the stream, so that no fish can 
pass under. Now, drive two stakes into 
the banks of the stream ; brace the net to 
an upright position by tying the side 
ropes of the net to the stakes. In case 
the frame of the net is too short to reach 
across the stream, build up "wings" of 
rocks, sods and moss, or of brush. These 
wings will lead the water of the stream 
and the fish into the net. When the net 
is securely set, take a lot of brush, to 
which tie a section of the warp line ; now 
walking down stream, towards the net, 
everything is swept into it. 
I would, however, caution my readers 
that this method of capturing fish is only 
to be adoi^ted where specimens are to be 
captured alive, either for stocking other 
waters, or aquaria, or for purposes of sci- 
entific investigation. I wovild not have 
described such an unsportsmanlike way 
of capturing fish, had it not been that it 
is already well known to those who are 
likely to make a bad use of it, and so we 
may as well give our young scientific 
friends the benefit of it. Bear in mind 
that those who adopt this system, except 
for the purposes mentioned above, are, in 
most States, and particularly in New 
York, New Jersey, and the New England 
States, liable to severe legal penalties. 
This method, however, has the advan- 
tage that it enables you to capture every- 
thing, without injuring them in the slight- 
est degree. Therefore, after having se- 
lected the specimens you desire, always 
make it a point to return the others to 
the pond or stream. If even the smallest 
sized trout is caught in the net, be gener- 
ous to this lovely fish, and gently put him 
back into his native element. Never mar 
your day's enjoyment by taking one home 
for your aquarium, where he will drag out 
a wretched existence for a few hours, and 
die from the high temperature of the 
water ; or jump out of the tank only to be 
eaten up by the cat. Even if you capture 
a good sized one, do not take it home to 
fry, but think what a mean, sneaking way 
you have captured him. Take all the 
other kinds of fish you have use for, as 
they are the natural enemies to trout, 
their eggs and fry. Then, when spring and 
summer days come on, and you and your 
friends wish a quiet day's trout fishing, 
you can enjoy the finest sport in the world 
in your own neighborhood. 
