BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 323 
190 to 200 meshes, according to Olsen, with 55 in each wing. The 
remaining meshes form the bosom, and are braided down to 30 at the 
ends. 1 
The u flapper 77 should be u set up” at 40 meshes, and tapered to 20 
meshes at its end. This, as has been explained, is fastened to the back 
of the trawl-net, and so arranged by lacing it in a line with the pockets 
that it will drop down and close the entrance to the cod-end when the 
apparatus is not moving through the water. 
Olsen gives the following directions for putting together the several 
sections of a trawl-net and preparing it to bend to the beam and heads: 
“ I would first count the meshes in the lower part of the square and 
upper part of the batings; if they correspond, join them together. 
Next, I would count the meshes in the belly and wings, and join them 
together; then I would stretch the net along the deck, with the cod- 
end aft, and put the lower batings of back and belly together, make 
fast to a spar lashed across the deck, pull taut both belly and batings, 
and make them fast forward, then lace the trawl from the lower end 
upwards. Now I would stretch the wings and square forward, and 
lace from the head downward. 
“ I would [then] take the turns out of the balch-line, then balch the 
wings by finding the middle mesh of the bosom or center of the wings, 
and clove-hitch them onto the balch-line, so as to make the spaces a 
little larger than the mesh. I next stretch the ground rope along the 
deck and take the turns out, lay the bight aft and the ends forward, 
measure it and tie the center mesh of the wings, then lash the bight of 
the ground rope, set up taut with a tackle from forward, and keep the 
ground rope up from the deck by placing a spar across the deck. Now 
1 would measure the bosom and tie up to the quarter, pull up the 
square from quarter to head, allowing 3 or 4 feet for shrinking, tie up 
the balch-line and complete the roping.” 
To put in the flapper and pockets he would join the former “ on at 80 
meshes under the back, lace the salvage to the belly — the flapper being 
40 meshes, leaves 20 meshes on each side of the salvage — then I would 
lace up the pockets in a line with the flapper.” 2 
The lower part of the cod-end must then be provided with “ chaf- 
ers ” — pieces of old net, or some other material, lashed on to prevent the 
bottom of the trawl from being too quickly worn out by chafing on 
the ground. 
For rigging up the beam, bridles, etc., 6 iron wedges are required for 
wedging the ends of the beam into the trawl-heads ; 2 trawl-warp and 
4 bridle-thimbles ; 1 dandy-chain shackle, 2 main-bridle shackles, and 
2 trawl-warp shackles. 
Various devices have been invented, besides those already men- 
tioned, for improving the beam trawl; most of these, however, being for 
the purpose of allowing small fish to escape from the cod-end. Among 
*Ib., pp. 28-29, 
1 Fisherman’s Seamanship, p. 28, 
