FYKE NETS AND FYKE-NET FISHERIES. 
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drical net, /, distended with hoops and having very small meshes. This is closed at both ends and 
is fastened in the center of the largo net. It is for the purpose of containing bait, which can he kept 
alive therein. From the partition, c, the net is continued on, and kept distended similar to the first 
compartment, forming another compartment, B, which, after reaching the first hoop, a 3 , is made with 
smaller meshes. At this point it has a funnel, g, similar to those in the first compartment, and behind 
it is a second bait hag, h, in all respects like the first. 
The compartment, B, is terminated by a partition, i. The same-sized mesh, or larger, is continued 
on to another hoop, a 1 , from which the meshes are fine enough to hold small fish for bait, and this 
part, C, is furnished with the usual funnel-shaped mouth, k, and its end is terminated by a cord, l. 
A net constructed after the above plan will serve to catch salmon, etc., in the first compartment, 
from which eels and smaller fish will be driven out; but they have free access to the next compart-- 
ment, where they are caught, while bait fish enough to supply the two first may be obtained by the 
last compartment, in which something may be placed to attract them. 
Having thus fully described our improvement, what we claim therein as new and desire to secure 
by letters patent, is — 
1. The combination of a series of compartments in the manner and for the purpose described. 
2. The combination therewith of the bait bags, as herein specified.* 
Several forms of small cone-shaped nets, used chiefly for eels, are to be classed 
with the foregoing fykes. 
Plate lxxiv, fig. 1, represents an eel fyke employed on the Atlantic coast. Itis con- 
structed partly of wire and seems to be a simple fyke of this class. The body is made 
of fine wire, supported by two broad flat wooden hoops at either end of the net. A twine 
funnel guards the mouth of the net, and another one begins about the middle of the 
barrel; four stout cords proceed from the ends of the funnels to the sides of the net, 
the place of their insertion being reenforced by an extra wire. The end of the trap 
from which the catch is taken also consists of netting provided with a pursing 
string. This fyke is 3 feet long and 10 inches wide. It is known as an u eel bait 
pot,” in allusion to the fact that it is baited for the purpose of attracting the eels. 
Several forms of nets of this character not provided with leader or wings have 
been ascertained to exist in other countries. They will be referred to ip some detail 
in the chapter on foreign fyke nets and need only be briefly mentioned in this place. 
One style of pot-like fyke has 3 hoops of equal size and a straight funnel extending 
from each end occupying about three-fourths of the length of each half of the net. 
The specimen figured (plate lxxxix, fig. 2) represents such a net used in Prussia, 
where it is called a bollreuse (round fyke). A somewhat similar trap used in France, 
with the funnels extending obliquely into the bag and reaching beyond the middle of 
the net, is shown in plate lxxxiv, fig. 2. A Portuguese net, with 5 hoops supporting 
a bag of the shape of a truncated cone, having a single funnel at the entrance and ter- 
minating in a door, through which the fish are extracted, is exhibited in plate lxxxix, 
fig. 3. Similar nets of this class that partake more of the typical nature of a fyke are 
employed in Portugal and France. 
FYKE NETS WITH LEADER. 
Very few fyke nets having only leaders are used in this country. The form is 
much less efficient than that provided with wings alone, or with both leader and 
wings, and probably this fact, as much as anything else, accounts for the scarcity of 
this style, both in number and variety. 
* Invented by John Carr, Jackson Shannon, and William Carr, of Sunbury, Pa. Letters patent 
No. 3741, dated September 14, 1844. 
F. C. B. 1892 20 
