( 76 ) 
Description : The net consists of a bag and two wings. 
Tiie bag has a 1-inch mesh and the wings have a 2-inch mesh. 
There is a rope along the upper side of the net and a heavier 
footrope below (see Fig. 10). 
/ 7/7^/- Mes/f _ . / 
2 Inch Meih_ 
Fig. 10. — Katuinarau dela. 
Dimensions : Length of wing, 120 feet ; length of bag, 
42 feet. 
The net is taken out in a boat about 
Then another boat comes alongside and 
takes one end of the wings, and the net is gradually paid out, 
each boat finallj^ holding the extremities of the wings. Then 
both boats pull the net through the water. In this way 
small fish in the upper laj^ers of the water are captured. 
Meilioil of Use 
I mile from land. 
17. — Maha dela (Sinhalese) : Kara valai (Tamil). 
Locality : All round the coast. 
Fish caught : All kinds of fish. 
Description : This is one of the largest and most efficient 
nets used by the fishermen m Ceylon. It is a drag net of 
great size. Essentially, the net consists of a large bag about 
24 fathoms in length with two enormous wings. The wings 
vary in size, and each may be as long as 200 fathoms. The 
mesh in the wmgs is fairly open, but is smaller in the bag, 
