182 TRANSACTIONS OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
old men in their young days, of "briming" for mackerel. The 
ordinary method is to put the nets in the water just about sun- 
down, and to drive with the tide say till 10 or 12 o'clock, and 
then get the nets on board again, and return to harbour with the 
result (if any) of these labours. But in consequence of the fish 
being so shoally during this time of the year, it is the custom to 
sail about and search for them in the water, and then shoot the 
nets upon them, and so capture them. This custom has, however, 
a very expensive result, and one that is giving some trouble. 
Mackerel are surface fish, and therefore to catch them by the 
drift net the net is so arranged that the top part floats on a level 
with the surface of the water. Hence any passing vessel crossing 
over them is sure to do considerable damage, and as at present 
boats go on " the brim " (or sail about) in search for fish night 
after night, there is a kind of mutual destruction going on, every 
crew complaining of nets being cut, and every crew just doing the 
same thing. 
"Necessity is the mother of invention," and within the last 
three weeks there has been a wholesale alteration of this matter, 
by crews so arranging their nets that when put in the sea they 
sink some four to six feet deep. It is generally considered though 
that not so many fish are caught by sinking the nets this depth. 
The mackerel net of West -Country fishermen is generally 65 
yards long to rope, 24 meshes to the yard, and 140 meshes deep; 
50 nets to each boat. It is made of cotton. East- Coast boats 
have their nets shorter, about 25 yards long, 28 to 30 meshes to 
the yard, and 200 nets to each boat. The West- Country boat is 
usually lug-rigged; the East- Coast boat dandy-rigged. 
The times of operation are as follows : January. — Fishing goes 
on from off the Start 25 miles to Eddystone. February. — Generally 
falling off. March. — South-west of Start to south of Eddystone. 
April. — Lizard fishing begins five to ten miles south to west; 
also off St. Ives, and south-west of Eddystone, and off Falmouth. 
May. — Mounts Bay boats put on board large mesh nets, and go on 
ground off Scilly, where large fish are fallen in with 100 miles 
west-north-west of Land's End ; green water. Lowestoft boats 
continue to find fish in Mounts Bay, but not so large as off Scilly, 
and evidently not the same fish. June. — Continuation off Scilly 
and in North Channel by St. Ives boats. July, — Fish become 
shotten, and come to land again ; quantity less, and fishing closes 
