396 BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION, 
wood, banded with iron, and at equal distances around it, near the edge, 
are a number of holes. These holes are so placed for the purpose of 
stopping the wheel from revolving, if deemed desirable, by shoving a 
key through the prong of the iron into any one of the holes that chances 
to be uppermost. A large shackle, one end of which is connected with 
the wheel by the axle bolt, comes in front of the wheel, and from this 
and the shackle at the top of the iron extends a short chain span that 
connects with a shackle at its end, to which also the bridle is attached. 
The following are some details of the measurements: Total height, 3 
feet 1 inch ; diameter of wheel, 11 J inches; thickness of wheel, 5 
inches; size of iron between wheel and beam, 1J by 1J inches; hole for 
beam iron, If by f inches; lower part of foot is quite flat, 3\ by g 
inches ; lower chain bridle, from axle of wheel, 2 feet 8 inches ; upper 
bridle, 1 foot 10 inches. 
In this case a flat bar of iron is fitted into the end of the beam (which 
is banded to prevent its splitting), and this iron, projecting beyond the 
beam, slips into an oblong hole at the upper part of the trawl-head. 
The trawls ordinarily used by the bomschuiten have some peculiari- 
ties. The following is a description of one of these trawls, exhibited at 
London, 1883 : The beam is made of soft wood, 25J feet long, 3| inches 
in diameter, backed by a square iron bar f inch square, which is seized 
tt> the beam. Projecting from the beam ends are iron bars which pass 
through the holes in the top of the head-irons. The head-iron is 3 feet 
high ; it is straight, small at the top, but with a heavy square foot that 
is 10 inches high and 4 inches square, rounded on the lower front part 
so that it will slip over the bottom. (See Fig. 33.) Through this 
foot are two holes, one about in its center, from front to rear, for the 
lower part of the span to pass through, and the other transversely, near 
the lower extremity, for the ground rope to reeve through. The whole 
affair is simple and primitive. A rope span extends forward from the 
head, a large thimble being seized in its bight, and into this thimble is 
