726 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
each other at this spot and can be brought together when wanted. A string is tied 
at the crossing place of the sticks and the net is manipulated by this string. When 
these sticks are crossed they spread the net open in the form of a shallow bag. The 
fisherman first catches an uhu of the variety to be fished for by means of hook and 
line. He secures this to a line run through its gills and mouth and then lowers it at 
a spot where the uhu congregate and gently works it back and forth. The uhu in 
the vicinity are attracted and angered by the strange antics of the decoy and swim 
up close to observe it. The net is gently lowered to a little distance from the decoy, 
and the latter is then slowly drawn into the net. The others rush into the net after 
the decoy, when, by a peculiar twitch and pull on the string, the fisherman causes 
the sticks to swing around and lie parallel, closing the mouth of the bag, which is 
then drawn to the" surface and emptied into the canoe. The operation is then repeated 
with a fresh decoy. 
There are two varieties of uhu, one of a reddish color and the other green. The 
red variety is preferred by the natives, who eat it raw. This same net is used for 
other species of rock-fish, the decoy being of the species sought. 
A similar bag net (upena opule), about a fathom in length and with an oval 
mouth about 2 or 3 feet in width, is used for catching the opule, a decoy opule 
being used in the same manner as described above. 
Another kind of decoy fishing is with the lau melomelo, a billet of kauwila wood, 
one of the hardest varieties in the islands. This decoy is something like a club, being 
rounded at the ends, with one end smaller than the other, and a little ringed knob on 
the smaller end to tie a string to. It varies in length from 13 inches to 3 feet. After 
the proper incantations have been performed over it by a sorcerer, or kahuna, it is 
charred slightly over a regulation fire. Having once attained its power great care 
must be taken by the fisherman that it does not lose it. If a woman should step over 
it or enter the canoe in which it is placed the magic influence would be lost. Further 
preparation is made by baking equal quantities of kukui nut (candle nut) and cocoa- 
nut meat, pounding it up and tying it in a wrapping of cocoanut fiber (the sheath 
around the stems of the cocoanut leaf). On arrival at the fishing-ground the stick is 
covered with the oily juice of this preparation and allowed to hang suspended a few 
feet from the bottom. The scent of the baked nut meal, in the opinion of the fisher- 
men, has an attraction for certain kinds of fish, which soon surround the stick and 
smell or nibble at it. In a short time a small bag net is dropped overboard, and 
maneuvered until its mouth is toward the suspended stick. The latter is then moved 
slowly into the bag, the fish following it. Two of the natives dive and, approaching 
the net gently, quickly close its mouth and give the signal to those in the canoe to 
haul it up. Should the fishing prove poor it is ascribed to the imperfect perform- 
ance of the incantations. This manner of fishing was formerly quite common on the 
west coast of Hawaii, but is not often practiced now. 
One of the common species around the island of Oahu is the malolo, or flying- 
fish, although but few of these are found around the other islands. There are two 
species, the large malolo and the small puhiki’i. A large bag net with a flaring 
mouth and very fine mesh is employed in this fishery, being carried to the fishing 
ground piled on a large single canoe, or sometimes a double one. The start is always 
