struggles, as they are dipped up in large baskets and emptied into the first cavity on the beach above the reach of the

water.

The seine being of large dimensions, the capture is by no means confined to Mackerel, but generally includes representatives of every variety found on our coasts, whether flat, round, or shell-fish, as Plaice, Soles, Dabs, Dories, &c., and occasionally a Salmon, or Salmon-Peel, Mullet, Bass, Gar-fish, Squid or Cuttle-fish, and Crabs; and the spectacle usually attracts a large crowd of both residents and visitors, should the net be hauled in front or close to any of the many wateringplaces on the SW. coast of England.

The Pilchard Seine.-This is the largest and most expensive description of seine used on the shores of the kingdom, and with its three boats-the seine-boat, the volyer, and the lurker and all apparatus complete, involves the outlay of a considerable sum of money, from eight to nine hundred pounds; consequently they are owned by companies.

A 'huer' or look-out man is required to signal the fisherman from the cliffs when the fish show themselves, and to direct the master-seiner's attention to the course and movements of the fish. The manner of enclosing the fish &c. is very similar to that practised in the Mackerel fishery; but the fish being enclosed, the ends of the net are connected, and being moored by large grapnels, locally termed 'greeps,' the Pilchards are taken in a smaller net called a tuck-seine, used from the volyer, which proceeds over the cork-line within the enclosure for that purpose.

The seine-boat and volyer are rigged with large main and small fore-lug sails, and are capable of carrying about fifteen tons dead weight; the lurker is a spritsail boat of moderate size, that it may carry out the orders of the commander-inchief, the master-seiner, who commands in person.

The same excitement is evinced in the Pilchard as in the Mackerel fishery, but the interests involved are infinitely greater and the feeling proportionate; for if the 'Pilchard harvest' fails, a trying winter is the almost certain lot of the Cornish fishermen: should the season turn out well, he will be

easy in his mind and comfortable in his circumstances, and may probably even be enabled to discharge any small debt he may have incurred through disappointment in other branches of fishing.

There is a large foreign as well as home consumption of this fish, both in a fresh and salted condition, and for the former they are salted and laid in piles, regularly built up on a slightly sloping floor, in buildings denominated from their use 'Pilchard cellars,' during which a large amount of oil exudes from the fish; after which they are washed and packed in casks, and subjected to pressure, which extracts a still further amount of oil, all of which obtains a ready sale.

The Pilchards are in this condition known as 'fair maids,' probably a corruption of Fumados;' from which, it would appear, they were formerly smoked before exportation to the Mediterranean, for the shores of which they are commonly destined.

The Pilchard is identical with the French Sardine, the latter being the Pilchard before it arrives at maturity.

The Pilchard swarms on the coasts of Ireland and Guernsey on the former, I am told, they are entirely disregarded; on the latter they are sometimes captured with Garfish nets, and as they sell well, it is probable a special fishery may be eventually established.

Pilchards when salted for home use are usually cleaned by pulling off the head and removing the inside, splitting the fish with the finger and thumb, and leaving the scales, if possible, undisturbed.

They are now salted in a round cask or butter jar, the bellies being first filled with salt.

I consider them much improved by the addition of one and a half or two pounds of coarse moist sugar mixed with the salt, supposing you cure about four hundred fish. Factories are now established at Mevagissey and Fowey to cure the Pilchards in oil after the French fashion.

They are useful as a bait for Whiting when fresh ones are not procurable, and, whether for bait or eating, are commonly soaked in fresh water twelve hours previously.

The Trawl (fig. 71).-The Trawl is a large bag-net dragged along the bottom by a boat or vessel where the ground is free from rocks, and captures a great variety of the best quality of fish found in our seas, namely, Turbot, Soles, Plaice, Dories, Red Mullet, and Whiting; also Hake, Cod, Dabs, &c., and not a few large Oysters, Crabs, Scallops, &c.; to which may be added numerous specimens of great interest to the marine botanist and zoologist.

I have given three engravings of trawls: the first, the net itself as it appears spread out to dry on a beach or grass-field, when it has the appearance of a large net-bag, its wide mouth partly encircled by a stout rope termed the ground rope,

inasmuch as it scrapes along the ground when in use, and from this acquires its name.

In the sides of the trawl the reader will observe four darkly. shaded spaces, which are termed the pockets, and are formed by sewing the back and belly of the net together from the sides as far as the abrupt termination of the shading, thereby making four inverted bags or pockets to entrap the Soles in their attempts to escape, which are frequently rendered futile by this arrangement, as the numbers found therein sufficiently testify. Other fish are sometimes taken in these pockets, but Soles predominate. Some trawls have five or six pockets, but the ordinary number is two only, one on each side.

The small end of the trawl is termed the bunt or cod, and has a draw-string through the lower meshes, by which the bunt is carefully closed before the net is shot or thrown overboard.

Fig. 72 shows the beam and trawl irons, or heads; the beam is used to keep the mouth of the trawl open, and is supported by the irons, which are provided with square sockets to

receive the ends, and are made very stout on the lower part, both to give additional weight to sink the whole and to keep the ground-rope close to the bottom, that the fish may not escape underneath, which flat fish generally endeavour to do by flapping their side fins and covering themselves with sand or ooze when in danger or difficulty.

Where the ground is very soft the rope scrapes them out of it frequently, yet many escape by darting away in front, particularly when the wind is light.

In the illustration of the trawl, with beam and irons,' the beam sockets are represented inside the iron, but they are just as often placed on the top, there being no rule for these minor arrangements.

Hake are not commonly taken unless during a strong breeze, that is to say, sufficient wind to tow the trawl at a good rate.

The ends of the ground-rope pass through the eyes of the

irons, and a turn or two being taken, they are lashed to the iron near the beam sockets.

Two swivel eyes are attached to the front of the irons, into which the spans or bridle are spliced, which being connected with a strong rope, known as the rode or warp, the whole apparatus is then complete.

A reference to the accompanying cuts will render the above description easily intelligible.

Trawls are towed by craft of various sizes, from boats of twenty feet in length to vessels of sixty tons, the gear being of proportionate weight and dimensions.

The length of trawl-beam for a twenty-foot boat will be twelve to fourteen feet, that for a vessel of fifty or sixty tons, thirty-six to thirty-eight feet.

The larger craft are very powerful vessels, easily handled and excellent sea-boats, and remain out for weeks at a time, sending their fish to market by the finest and fastest cutters which skill and experience can combine to construct for the purpose.

These are termed 'Carriers,' and on their outward trip take provisions and water for the 'trawling fleet,' with many tons of ice in which to pack the fish on their return. Steamers are now also used as Carriers.' A good deal of trawling is now done in steam vessels specially built for the purpose, and many tugs are registered as fishing vessels also, and carry a large trawl, which they use to fill up their time whilst waiting for employment in towing sailing-vessels.

Cutters are more effective as trawlers than any other rig, the mainsail giving them great power of towage; all trawling-craft fishing near the shore deliver their fish daily, if possible.

In the North of England, instead of the ugly, unhandy beam, they have for small trawls, say up to the size of twentyfive feet beams, substituted 1-inch galvanised wrought-iron pipes, which are always clean, and take up very little room on deck.

Size of Mesh.—The size of the mesh of trawl-nets must be not less than 12 inch from knot to knot, and any other net added to a trawl must have meshes of 2 inches from knot