rTicKATin. 
91 
Tuck, round the former on the inner side; and then the latter 
IS drawn together so as gradually to contract the space and 
raise the fish to the surface. When disturbed they become 
exceedingly agitated, and so great is the force derived from 
their numbers and terror, that the utmost caution is necessary 
to prevent their bursting the net or sinking it; while to hinder 
their return back again from the tuck scan into the larger space 
of the stop-net, men are employed at the open place in plunging 
stones which are suspended from ropes, and drawing them hack 
®gain. It will be understood, from what indeed we have already 
reinai'ked, that in these proceedings none of the fish can become 
entangled in the meshes of these scans; and the small size of 
the meshes thus rendered necessary to the success of this fishery 
made legal for taking Herrings, Pilchards, Sprats, and 
“Lavidnian,” by an act of the third year of James the First, 
Cch. 12.) 
When the fish thus enclosed in the hunt of the tuck-sean 
have been brought to the surface, where they are almost dry, 
the seaners proceed to fix themselves in pairs across the gun- 
'''"ales of the boats, and with flaskets to lade the fish on hoard; 
■while what is contained in the stop-scan, and has not been 
gathered into the tuck, is left to a future opportunity. It is 
one principal mark of a good master seaner that he forms a 
correct opinion of the quantity enclosed within the stop-sean, 
^od that he is able to take from it with the tuck-sean only 
just so much as his boats can receive, and that can be properly 
flisposed of in the cellar for that day. And in this his judgment 
is much assisted by the extent which he perceives of the bri- 
niing; which is the term bestowed on the light which proceeds 
fi^om numerous minute animals, chiefly molluscous, that abound 
tliroughout the sea at this time, and have become excited to 
pi'oduce it by the fear arising from the actions of the terrified 
fishes. In ^ dark night every mesh of a scan can he distin- 
guished to a great depth by the effulgence proceeding from 
lliese creatures. 
Many are the advantages which arise from this practice of 
taking up only a portion of the fish at separate times; for the 
■whole can be salted in a proper condition without undue fatigue 
”!■ expense, or injury to the fish by incipient putrefaction. The 
Sean also is preserved from being broken, and the principal 
