BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 345 
its jaws armed with wicked-looking teeth, snapping at whatever comes 
in its way, while prominent in the crowd is one of those wide-mouthed 
fishing frogs, which some one has called an “ animated carpet-bag.” 
These, together with gurnards, iridescent with beautiful color, the 
vicious dog-fish— always the fisherman’s euemj^ — wriggling about, 
shells, sea-anemones, sea-corn, etc., constituted a variety of animal life 
such as is rarely brought together by any other means. 
Fig. 21. The trawl’s contents. 
When the net is filled with fish to such an extent that it can not be 
handled, in the manner above described, a hole is cut in the back, as 
previously stated, and enough of the catch is bailed out with a dip net 
to allow of the trawl being taken in. Occasionally it happens that large 
stones are caught in the trawl and, getting into the “cod,” hang down 
with such great weight that it is difficult, if not impossible, to raise the 
net in the ordinary way. At such times a long rope slip-strap, or a 
“clench,” made with a running bowline, is put loosely around the trawl 
and sunk with the deep-sea lead, which is tied to the bight of the strap. 
When it is low enough it is hauled taut, taken to the capstan and hove 
up alongside. 
The heaving up of a trawl on the single-masted cutters is about the 
same as that which has been described, the principal difference being 
that the warp is taken forward and comes in over the bow, the vessel 
lying head to the wind, the light sails and stay foresail being taken in 
before the work begins. 
Mr. R. L. Ashcroft, of Southport (near Liverpool), England, writing 
under date of November 11, 1884, gives the following description of the 
methods of handling a beam trawl on the west coast of England : 
“ 1 was out trawling from Fleetwood a fortnight since, with one of 
the large boats. I should like you to see how easily their gear is worked 
