Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-13

1890 w W oh
3ks+ ant industry On the
>~S Nxg coast Of New England,
where it is pursued to
Ec- some extent oven to the
present day, said Capt
Collins Of the United
~vET1SS States fish commission
-I~~.-S.--t to STAR writer. The
~ feathered Wet m Q
tk- caught were used for
bait by trnwlers. Those
VINO followed this method OF procuring meat
for their hooks were called shack fishermen
the word shack signifying refuse or offal.
The shack fishermen. instead Of running
| into the harbors OF Newfoundland md Nova
Scotia at intervals for bait. were accustomed
to depend for such supplies upon what they
couid procure on the banks. In this way loss
OF time was avoiaed All was grist that came
to their mill. Not only birds served their pur-
pose. but porposcs. cod roes and even CLANS
| taken from the stomachs Of Goldfish were use full
| several varieties OF sea fowl were EMPLOYED
among them the great clearwater commonly
| known as tic 'hagdon, the jaeger. gulls and
Petrels, sometimes called Mother Carey's
Chickens
| BIRD FOR BAIT.
| I'm preparing bird for shack bait, the fish
erman cuts off the feet tail and head. Then,
making n cut across the breast. he strips off the
SKIN and throws il overheard. Next he removes
| the vlscera, which make excellent bait and
nnaliy, no pounds the body OF the bird with the
Dack OF heavy kniSe or with II stick, breaking
the bones. Having thus mummed II up. as he
calls it. the fisherman cuts the mass of flesh and
oone INTO small pieces of suitable size for bait
FISHING FOR BIRDS.
I'm fishing for the birds two men 60 out in
dory and throw pieces OF cod liver upon tho
water. These Immediately enlice the ever
present stormy petrels. which gather in focks
around the noatng morsels and tear them into
fragments Pretty soon bigger birds, of the
Kinds which 1t Is sought 10 capture perceive
from distance the gathering OF small feath-
cred Try and infer that there is food to be got.
accordingly, within few minutes hagdons,
)aegers and big gulls seen coming from all
points OF the compass. a big flock of them col
Letting about the boat. When the weather is
thick and foggy the fishermen help to attract
the hungry sea fowl by initiating their cries.
EAGER FOR THE BAIT.
THE two men in the dory, ono aft and the
other forward, are each provided with line
twenty five or thirty feet in length. and small
hook such as is ordinarily used for catching
mackerel. The bait of Goldfish liver is large
enough to float the hook. being oily, as well as
to cover Its point. As soon as flock of birds
has collected the hooks are baitcd and thrown
display an almost incredible voracity in their
eagerness to secure the large pieces Of liver,
which they swallow at gulp, they fight
iercely among themselves When a victim
has been hooked and is being pulled toward
the boat it struggles vigorously to escape
by trying to rise in the air or by spreading out
Its feet IN an effort to hold itself back as it is
dragged III unccremoniously, while its vocifer-
Gus companions follow after, attempting to
snatch away the piece OF liver with which it
IA 4,
coed in disengaging the hook from Its beak.
but usually the barbed point is well fastened
and the prey is safely landed.
The bird once captured, the method
adopted for killing it is more effective than
agreeable to tell about. he fisherman places
the unfortunate fowl under his LETT arm to pre-
vent It's struggles, and 6rasping its head with
his right hand, lie crushes ito skull with his
teeth Iris performance may continue until
100 or ECO birds are taken. However, after a
while some OF the fowls become 70. ged with
liver. which they have obtained without being
hooked, and then they exhibit the greatest cum
ming IN Guiding capture.
BAIT srEALERs.
with an instinct that approaches reason
they cautiously approach, take hold of the bait
with the tips of their bills and BIZ iioppipc
their wings endeavor to tear it 20 pieces 1t
frequently happens that such skillfu bait
steaier VIII render abortive all the attempts OF
H..
time 1t will fight desperately with its comI,an-
ions to keep them away until il has filed i.self
TO repletion. Having so gorged itsef as to be
scarcely able to cry. 1t quietly drifts TO leeward
at a safe distance from the boat. floating upon
the waves to await the digestion of the food.
After while the whole flock gets so shy that
the sport is rendered Improbable, and then il
Is given up for the time being.
HAGDoS FOR THE TABLE.
"Ihe hagdons are eaten to some extent by
the fishermen nowadays, while forty years ago
they formed an important item i'll the bill of
fare of those who sought livelihood on the
banks. Although they are rather fshy in
favor. they are meat and afford an agreeable
change OF diet. AT present, when the bankers
get much better food than any other class of
sea-faring men, hagdon rotpies and stcws are
not considered by them 90 tempting as for
merly. Some Of the old Marbleht al fisher
men acquired such taste for the peculiar
it to chicken. and when no longer able to fish
for themselves they would look to the younger
men for supplies of the delicacy, which were
brought home on the vessels.
GOOD FIGHTERS.
"The remarkable pugnacity exhibited by
nag ons has often melted the fishermen to the
cruel sport of tormenting them. A dozen or
more of them having been caught they are put
together in q hoGshead tub and made to fight
W hAcu up Will Sllck. In this
they are caused to engage in general scrim-
mage, feathers flying in all direc lions. and in a
short time the birds which were taken from
the water sleek and strong present a
bedraggled and disreputable appearance. The
fishermen also sometimes tie two hagdons to-
gether by the legs, using a string about foot
III length, which enables them to swim. but
keeps them in unpleasant contact the conse-
quence being that they fight until one or both
succumbs.
THE Moody.
"Another less numerous species of sea fow!
which the bank fishermen capture for bait in
the manner described is the noddy or fulmar.
1t is also known as the stinker, on account of
the very unpleasant odor which it has. When
caught on a line and hauled into boat it usu-
ally throws up the contents of its stomach and
emits quantity Of oily matter from its nostrils
The noddy is an arctic bird and occurs in great
abundance in the far NORTH where it goes in
summer for the purpose of breeding.
INSTEAD OF CHICKENS.
1.-THE larger species of gulls, which are SINH
larly caught for bait, are used by the fisher
men OF Newfoundland for domestic purposes
They capture the young nestliups and rear